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 · cue · craft · pop · squash · wake · ruler · clip

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. squash — the sport
  10. clip — a video
  11. craft — boats
  12. clip — for paper
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. clip — to cut
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. chip — to eat
  17. squash — to crush
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pop — soda
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pop — music

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