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: sharp · rule · cap · roll · current · drill · chip · pitch

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. chip — to eat
  7. drill — a practice
  8. rule — a law
  9. pitch — completely
  10. roll — a cake
  11. rule — government
  12. drill — the tool
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. drill — army training
  15. current — happening now
  16. cap — a hat
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. chip — for betting
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. sharp — clever
  22. roll — a list
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. rule — to rule out

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