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: pass · chip · season · field · game · row · bulb · fine

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. field — farmland
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. fine — high quality
  8. season — of the year
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bulb — for light
  11. field — a subject
  12. game — a match
  13. pass — a permit
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. fine — all right
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. field — for sport
  19. row — a line
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. season — in sport
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. game — wild animals

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