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: pop · chest · chip · ball · snap · calf · bass · deal

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bass — low music
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pop — music
  6. ball — a dance
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. snap — to click
  9. chest — a box
  10. pop — to visit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pop — soda
  16. ball — a great time
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. deal — to handle
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bass — the fish
  23. chest — of your body
  24. calf — a young animal

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