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 116 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: key · wake · current · chip · rush · present · perch · rash

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. key — in music
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. key — the most important part
  8. current — electric
  9. wake — a trail
  10. current — of water
  11. present — there
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. current — happening now
  18. present — a gift
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rash — a series
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. present — the time now

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