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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. chip — for betting
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rest — a break
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ball — a dance
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mate — a friend
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ball — a great time
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mate — to breed
  22. vault — a safe
  23. chip — to eat
  24. calf — a young animal

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