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 116 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: calf · object · straw · chip · club · mouse · land · squash

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — for betting
  3. club — for dancing
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. squash — the sport
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. object — to protest
  9. squash — to crush
  10. club — for golf
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. chip — to eat
  13. land — to come down
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. land — a country
  16. object — a thing
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. object — an aim
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. land — ground
  24. club — a group

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