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: lie · tube · chip · pound · pop · board · spring · rush

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spring — of water
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. tube — a container
  8. pop — to visit
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. tube — the underground
  12. board — to get on
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. spring — the season
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pound — a weight
  20. board — a committee
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. spring — a coil
  24. rush — hurry

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