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 120 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: pound · field · pop · chip · stick · deal · season · rest

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. season — in sport
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. field — a subject
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pop — music
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. field — for sport
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pop — to visit
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pop — soda
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. field — farmland
  24. season — of the year

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