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: rest · chip · land · chair · pop · mark · tear · bay

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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 — for betting
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. land — a country
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. mark — a grade
  6. tear — to rip
  7. tear — from crying
  8. land — to come down
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pop — to visit
  11. mark — a trace
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pop — music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. land — ground
  18. rest — a break
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pop — soda
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. chair — a leader
  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