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: track · hide · band · charge · chip · perch · cold · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. track — to keep track
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. band — a music group
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cold — not warm
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. track — a path
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. charge — in control
  13. perch — the fish
  14. cold — an illness
  15. track — a song
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. chip — to eat
  18. suit — clothes
  19. band — a ring
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. suit — to fit
  22. charge — electricity
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. charge — a price

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