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: ball · press · mug · lie · chip · stock · clip · snap

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. press — to push
  3. stock — goods
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. clip — a video
  6. clip — for paper
  7. press — newspapers
  8. snap — to click
  9. press — a publisher
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stock — shares
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mug — a cup
  17. clip — to cut
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mug — a face
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. chip — to eat
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mug — to rob
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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