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: roll · pound · squash · tube · rest · chip · wind · face

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rest — what's left
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. wind — moving air
  11. face — part of the head
  12. rest — a break
  13. roll — a list
  14. face — to confront
  15. chip — for betting
  16. face — to point toward
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. tube — the underground
  20. wind — moving air
  21. tube — a container
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. chip — to eat

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