ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: march · suit · chip · face · saw · last · perch · cue

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. face — to point toward
  5. cue — a signal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. cue — a hint
  8. last — finally
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. march — the month
  11. face — to confront
  12. saw — the tool
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. march — the month
  15. last — final
  16. cue — for pool
  17. suit — in cards
  18. march — music
  19. face — part of the head
  20. suit — clothes
  21. last — to go on
  22. suit — to fit
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com