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: wake · chest · saw · board · bank · object · chip · swing

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. saw — the tool
  3. object — an aim
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. swing — in golf
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — a box
  11. chip — for betting
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chest — of your body
  17. swing — music
  18. bank — for money
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. board — a committee
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. board — to get on

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