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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. chip — for betting
  3. court — of law
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. key — in music
  9. court — of a king
  10. pop — music
  11. court — for sport
  12. kid — child
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. key — for a lock
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. craft — a skill
  22. kid — to tease
  23. craft — boats
  24. chip — in a computer

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