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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. swing — music
  5. net — for catching
  6. chip — for betting
  7. swing — to play on
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. net — in sport
  10. spell — letters
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. chip — to eat
  19. snap — to click
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. net — after costs
  24. chip — in a computer

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