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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. chip — for betting
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. pass — a permit
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. swing — to play on
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. net — for catching
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. land — to come down
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. net — in sport
  16. snap — to click
  17. foot — a measure
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bulb — for light
  22. net — after costs
  23. swing — music
  24. foot — the bottom

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