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

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pop — soda
  4. club — for golf
  5. track — to keep track
  6. chip — to eat
  7. club — for dancing
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. cap — of ice
  10. pop — music
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pop — to visit
  15. club — a group
  16. firm — decided
  17. squash — to crush
  18. firm — a company
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. firm — steady
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cap — a lid
  24. track — a path

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