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: land · cap · mouse · calf · racket · rock · date · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  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. date — on the calendar
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cap — a lid
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cap — of ice
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. land — a country
  17. land — ground
  18. chip — to eat
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. land — to come down
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. cap — a hat
  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