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: bowl · club · present · bat · chip · rock · bay · wound

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bat — the animal
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. present — the time now
  5. club — a group
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. club — for golf
  13. present — there
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. present — a gift

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