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

Word bank: can · chip · court · spell · present · swing · clip · mate

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — for paper
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — to breed
  6. court — of law
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. present — the time now
  11. can — a tin
  12. court — for sport
  13. present — a gift
  14. swing — to play on
  15. spell — magic
  16. present — there
  17. swing — music
  18. court — of a king
  19. chip — to eat
  20. can — a tin
  21. mate — a friend
  22. clip — a video
  23. swing — in golf
  24. can — to be able to

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