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 · cap · safe · sharp · pound · rest · track · mark

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. track — a path
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rest — a break
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. cap — of ice
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. mark — a trace
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rest — what's left

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