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: pound · chip · plane · land · staff · pitch · craft · leaves

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. land — a country
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pound — a weight
  8. craft — a skill
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. chip — to eat
  12. craft — boats
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. staff — employees
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. land — to come down
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. land — ground
  21. staff — employees
  22. pitch — completely
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pound — for dogs

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