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: chip · mate · key · squash · bass · bark · track · season

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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. bass — low music
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. track — a song
  5. mate — a friend
  6. track — to keep track
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. track — a path
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. season — in sport
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. key — the most important part
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bass — the fish
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mate — to breed
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bark — to shout
  21. key — in music
  22. season — of the year
  23. key — for a lock
  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