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: chip · vault · bound · mouse · pass · mine · swing · fork

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. swing — in golf
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. swing — music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — for digging
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — to eat
  20. fork — in a road
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mine — an explosive

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