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 116 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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. club — a group
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ground — the earth
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mine — for digging
  7. ground — crushed
  8. club — for dancing
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. root — the cause
  13. chip — for betting
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. ground — a position
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. root — of a word
  18. vault — a safe
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. club — for golf
  24. pitch — completely

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