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: bowl · file · ruler · hide · chip · game · fan · snap

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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. game — wild animals
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. snap — to click
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a document
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. file — a line of people
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. game — a match
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. file — a tool
  24. hide — to keep secret

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