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: chair · land · squash · firm · date · safe · ball · game

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. land — ground
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. squash — to crush
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. ball — a great time
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. chair — a leader
  10. land — to come down
  11. ball — a dance
  12. firm — decided
  13. land — a country
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. game — a match
  18. squash — the sport
  19. firm — steady
  20. game — wild animals
  21. firm — a company
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. chair — to sit on

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