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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · cue · bulb · squash · chair · swing

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. current — happening now
  4. chair — a leader
  5. swing — music
  6. cue — a hint
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. swing — to play on
  9. squash — the sport
  10. cue — a signal
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bulb — for light

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