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: bound · kick · chip · current · key · game · bat · fan

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. game — wild animals
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. current — electric
  5. chip — for betting
  6. key — in music
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bat — the animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. current — of water
  15. bound — obliged
  16. current — happening now
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bound — certain
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. kick — in football
  22. key — for a lock
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. game — a match

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