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: snap · pop · field · face · chip · stand · suit · bulb

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. suit — in cards
  3. field — a subject
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. face — to confront
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pop — to visit
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. field — farmland
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pop — soda
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. field — for sport
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. chip — to eat
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pop — music
  24. stand — for spectators

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