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: chip · tube · pit · march · stand · swing

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. swing — to play on
  3. tube — the underground
  4. march — the month
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pit — in a race
  7. tube — a container
  8. march — the month
  9. swing — music
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pit — a hole
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. march — music
  16. stand — to bear
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pit — a fruit stone

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