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: pitcher · squash · staff · key · hide · current · chip · pound

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. key — for a lock
  4. squash — the sport
  5. current — happening now
  6. staff — employees
  7. key — the most important part
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. chip — to eat
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. key — in music
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. squash — to crush
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. staff — a stick
  22. chip — for betting
  23. staff — employees
  24. hide — animal skin

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