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 · court · roll · press · temple · deal · field · bat

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. press — newspapers
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. press — to push
  7. bat — the animal
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — for sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. roll — a cake
  12. field — for sport
  13. deal — to handle
  14. chip — to eat
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. field — a subject
  18. press — a publisher
  19. court — of law
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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