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: game · rush · dip · bulb · chip · cabinet · land · nail

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. land — to come down
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. game — a match
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rush — hurry
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. game — wild animals
  11. land — a country
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. chip — to eat
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. land — ground
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bulb — for light

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