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 120 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: row · chip · chest · last · race · bay · game · firm

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. race — a contest
  3. chest — a box
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. last — final
  6. last — finally
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. race — humankind
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. last — to go on
  12. row — to paddle
  13. game — a match
  14. chest — of your body
  15. game — wild animals
  16. firm — steady
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. race — the arms race
  19. chest — of your body
  20. row — a line
  21. firm — decided
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. firm — a company
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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