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 · chair · track · fall · bay · scale · wave · cap

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cap — of ice
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chip — to eat
  5. scale — in music
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. track — a song
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fall — the season
  16. track — to keep track
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. track — a path
  24. fall — to drop

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