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: fine · toast · chest · bank · rush · kid · shower · chip

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. kid — child
  8. shower — rain
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kid — to tease
  13. chest — a box
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fine — high quality
  17. toast — bread
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rush — hurry
  20. shower — to wash
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. bank — for money
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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