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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. ground — crushed
  4. pop — soda
  5. deal — to handle
  6. game — wild animals
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. branch — a division
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ground — a position
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ground — the earth
  17. game — a match
  18. pop — music
  19. chip — for betting
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. chip — to eat
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. swing — music

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