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: mouse · pop · band · dip · game · hide · chip · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pop — to visit
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. game — a match
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. pop — soda
  9. band — a music group
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ball — a dance
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ball — a great time
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — for betting
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pop — music
  21. band — a ring
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. game — wild animals
  24. band — a rubber band

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