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: band · cold · ground · fine · chip · press · lie · can

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. cold — not warm
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fine — all right
  5. band — a ring
  6. ground — crushed
  7. press — newspapers
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. ground — a position
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. press — to push
  14. band — a music group
  15. ground — the earth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. can — a tin
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fine — high quality
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cold — an illness
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. chip — to eat

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