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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for golf
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mate — to breed
  8. snap — to click
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. charge — electricity
  14. ground — crushed
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mate — a friend
  17. row — a line
  18. chip — to eat
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. mate — a partner
  23. row — to paddle
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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