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: chip · current · bear · object · pop · key · field · bowl

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. field — for sport
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. key — in music
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. object — a thing
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chip — for betting
  11. field — a subject
  12. bear — the animal
  13. current — happening now
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pop — music
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. current — electric
  19. object — to protest
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. key — the most important part
  22. field — farmland
  23. object — an aim
  24. current — of water

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