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: kid · rush · chip · bowl · season · date · scale · deal

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. season — in sport
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. deal — to handle
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. season — of the year
  12. date — the fruit
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. scale — in music
  16. rush — hurry
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. chip — to eat
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. chip — for betting
  24. kid — child

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