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: dip · capital · trunk · pound · chip · present · bowl · lie

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. chip — for betting
  3. present — the time now
  4. capital — money
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. dip — to sink
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. lie — to recline
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. capital — a city
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. pound — for dogs
  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