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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · chip · pitcher · perch · jam · firm

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. firm — a company
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. club — for golf
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. firm — steady
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. club — a group
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. chip — to eat
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. perch — the fish
  16. club — for dancing
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. firm — decided

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