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

Word bank: bear · key · bark · drill · squash · rule · content · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. squash — the sport
  3. key — in music
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. drill — the tool
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. drill — army training
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bark — to shout
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bear — the animal
  22. content — happy
  23. key — the most important part
  24. content — the amount

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