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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. kid — child
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. chip — for betting
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. firm — decided
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. club — for golf
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. firm — steady
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. squash — the sport
  19. chip — to eat
  20. prune — to trim
  21. club — a group
  22. prune — to trim
  23. squash — to crush
  24. kid — to tease

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