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 · rest · deal · safe · racket · prune · pass · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. chip — to eat
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. rest — what's left
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rash — a series
  18. chip — for betting
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — to handle
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. safe — out of danger

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