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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. key — in music
  3. object — to protest
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. mate — a friend
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mate — a partner
  8. key — for a lock
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. object — an aim
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. squash — to crush
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mate — to breed
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — help
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ball — a great time
  20. squash — the sport
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. chip — to eat
  24. ball — a round shape

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