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: pass · dip · chip · hide · court · mouse · land · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. dip — to sink
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of law
  6. chip — for betting
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. land — a country
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. land — to come down
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. court — of a king
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pass — a permit
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. land — ground
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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