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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mug — to rob
  5. file — a line of people
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bass — low music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. chip — to eat
  13. file — a document
  14. key — in music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mine — for digging
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bass — the fish
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. file — a tool
  24. mug — a face

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