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: chip · wave · stick · bat · ruler · pit · spell · pop

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pit — in a race
  5. chip — to eat
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. spell — magic
  9. bat — the animal
  10. pop — to visit
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. chip — for betting
  23. spell — letters
  24. pit — a hole

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