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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. club — for golf
  3. squash — the sport
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. scale — size or range
  7. board — a committee
  8. mug — to rob
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. board — to get on
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. hand — help
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. club — a group
  17. hand — in cards
  18. scale — in music
  19. last — final
  20. mug — a cup
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. club — for dancing
  23. squash — to crush
  24. dip — to sink

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