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

Word bank: swing · chip · bore · branch · hand · kid · content · pass

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. branch — a division
  6. swing — to play on
  7. content — the amount
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. hand — in cards
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bore — to tire
  14. kid — child
  15. chip — for betting
  16. content — happy
  17. swing — music
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bore — to drill
  21. kid — to tease
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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