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: scale · swing · charge · pitcher · ruler · cabinet · chip · kid

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. kid — child
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. charge — electricity
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. scale — in music
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. scale — size or range
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. chip — to eat
  19. charge — in control
  20. swing — music
  21. chip — for betting
  22. kid — to tease
  23. charge — a price
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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