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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. pop — music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. chip — for betting
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pop — to visit
  10. net — for catching
  11. mug — a face
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. net — after costs
  14. chip — to eat
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. snap — to click
  17. net — in sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pop — soda
  20. mug — to rob
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mug — a cup
  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