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: content · club · court · ground · suit · vault · chair · chip

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. court — of law
  3. vault — a safe
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. suit — to fit
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. ground — crushed
  8. club — for golf
  9. content — the amount
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. court — for sport
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. suit — in cards
  16. content — happy
  17. court — of a king
  18. ground — the earth
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. club — for dancing
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chip — to eat
  24. ground — a position

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