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: chip · game · wake · bank · cue · race · perch · leaves

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. chip — for betting
  5. cue — for pool
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. game — a match
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. race — a contest
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. race — humankind
  17. game — wild animals
  18. perch — the fish
  19. race — the arms race
  20. cue — a signal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wake — a trail

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