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: key · stem · temple · fan · land · swing · row · chip

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. land — to come down
  4. swing — music
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — in golf
  7. row — a line
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. row — to paddle
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. key — the most important part
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. key — in music
  18. chip — for betting
  19. land — a country
  20. land — ground
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. key — for a lock

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