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: land · deal · racket · coach · chip · swing · pit · hide

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. land — a country
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pit — a hole
  9. chip — to eat
  10. swing — music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. land — ground
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. swing — to play on
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. chip — for betting
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. land — to come down
  20. swing — in golf
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pit — in a race

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