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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. roll — a list
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. content — happy
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. chip — to eat
  10. kick — in football
  11. club — for dancing
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. content — the amount
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. club — a group
  23. roll — a cake
  24. chip — in a computer

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