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 · wave · ruler · pitcher · chair · saw · charge · toast

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. charge — a price
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. charge — in control
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. saw — the tool
  16. chair — a leader
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. toast — bread
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. charge — electricity
  24. toast — the most admired

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