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 120 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 · object · press · craft · coach · field · lie · land

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. press — newspapers
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. press — to push
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — for sport
  11. craft — boats
  12. press — a publisher
  13. field — farmland
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — a country
  19. lie — to recline
  20. land — ground
  21. craft — a skill
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. object — a thing
  24. coach — a trainer

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