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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. squash — the sport
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. last — to go on
  10. chip — to eat
  11. last — final
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bear — the animal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. last — finally
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bear — the animal
  24. band — a ring

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