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: pit · fan · hide · wound · bowl · hand · chip · deal

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. chip — for betting
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wound — an injury
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. hand — in cards
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pit — a hole
  18. hand — help
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pit — in a race
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. deal — a big deal

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