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: chip · mug · content · lie · pitcher · pound · board · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mug — a cup
  4. chip — for betting
  5. content — happy
  6. mug — a face
  7. lie — to recline
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. board — a committee
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pound — a weight
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. board — to get on
  24. content — the amount

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