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 116 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: deal · pit · scale · chip · fork · mate · fall · present

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. fall — to drop
  5. chip — to eat
  6. present — there
  7. present — the time now
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. scale — size or range
  11. present — a gift
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. scale — in music
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. fork — in a road
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pit — in a race
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mate — to breed

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