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: cold · chip · suit · bound · jam · board · bass · foot

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bound — obliged
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. chip — to eat
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cold — not warm
  12. bound — tied together
  13. suit — clothes
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bass — low music
  16. bound — certain
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bass — the fish
  20. board — to get on
  21. foot — a measure
  22. board — a committee
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. suit — in cards

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