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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. suit — in cards
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. current — electric
  10. chip — to eat
  11. fine — all right
  12. suit — to fit
  13. swing — to play on
  14. fine — high quality
  15. current — of water
  16. ground — the earth
  17. swing — in golf
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chip — for betting
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. swing — music
  23. current — happening now
  24. staff — a stick

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