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: game · racket · scale · chip · squash · fork · pass · staff

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. staff — a stick
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. game — wild animals
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. staff — employees
  14. chip — for betting
  15. game — a match
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. scale — size or range
  20. staff — employees
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. game — a kind of play

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