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: staff · suit · trunk · chip · game · vault · club · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. club — a group
  4. staff — employees
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. vault — a safe
  7. suit — clothes
  8. game — a match
  9. club — for golf
  10. content — happy
  11. club — for dancing
  12. suit — to fit
  13. chip — to eat
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. staff — a stick
  18. game — wild animals
  19. staff — employees
  20. chip — for betting
  21. content — the amount
  22. suit — in cards
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. chip — in a computer

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