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 · wake · rock · deal · board · ground · shower · nail

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. shower — rain
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rock — music
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — a trail
  12. shower — to wash
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. ground — a position
  16. chip — for betting
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rock — a stone
  19. ground — crushed
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. deal — to handle
  22. ground — the earth
  23. chip — to eat
  24. deal — an agreement

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