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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. game — a match
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. swing — to play on
  7. current — happening now
  8. game — wild animals
  9. swing — music
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. chip — to eat
  13. scale — in music
  14. current — of water
  15. stand — to bear
  16. current — electric
  17. swing — in golf
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chip — for betting
  20. scale — size or range
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. stand — for spectators

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