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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. charge — electricity
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. court — for sport
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — in golf
  14. charge — in control
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. race — the arms race
  18. swing — to play on
  19. wax — to grow
  20. race — humankind
  21. charge — a price
  22. court — of a king
  23. plane — a tool
  24. court — of law

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