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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bore — to tire
  6. track — a song
  7. bore — to drill
  8. squash — to crush
  9. present — a gift
  10. chip — for betting
  11. club — for golf
  12. field — a subject
  13. field — farmland
  14. track — to keep track
  15. club — a group
  16. chip — to eat
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. squash — the sport
  20. field — for sport
  21. present — there
  22. track — a path
  23. club — for dancing
  24. present — the time now

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