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

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. band — a ring
  3. chip — to eat
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. band — a music group
  8. track — a path
  9. land — to come down
  10. object — to protest
  11. land — a country
  12. press — newspapers
  13. track — a song
  14. object — an aim
  15. land — ground
  16. press — to push
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wake — a trail
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. press — a publisher
  24. object — a thing

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