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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. track — a path
  6. swing — music
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ball — a great time
  13. track — a song
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chip — for betting
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. chip — to eat
  18. swing — to play on

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