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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. swing — music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stem — to come from
  6. chip — to eat
  7. swing — to play on
  8. track — a path
  9. hand — in cards
  10. ground — crushed
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. firm — steady
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. firm — decided
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. track — a song
  19. hand — help
  20. track — to keep track
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. ground — a position
  23. swing — in golf
  24. firm — a company

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