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: clip · suit · deal · spell · hand · chip · rush · leaves

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. suit — clothes
  3. deal — to handle
  4. hand — in cards
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. hand — help
  7. rush — hurry
  8. clip — to cut
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. chip — for betting
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. clip — a video
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. clip — for paper
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. spell — magic
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. spell — a short time
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spell — letters
  23. suit — in cards
  24. chip — to eat

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