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 120 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: fine · kid · nail · scale · deal · net · chip · clip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — for catching
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. clip — a video
  7. kid — child
  8. clip — for paper
  9. deal — to handle
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. scale — in music
  13. fine — high quality
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. net — after costs
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — size or range
  21. kid — to tease
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. clip — to cut

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