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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ground — a position
  6. chip — for betting
  7. club — a group
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. mate — a friend
  12. club — for golf
  13. mate — a partner
  14. snap — to click
  15. bark — to shout
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mate — to breed
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ground — the earth
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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