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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. club — a group
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. saw — the tool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — the fruit
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. chip — to eat
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of law
  22. court — of a king
  23. club — for golf
  24. saw — the tool

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