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 116 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 · spring · wind · swing · lash · bank · pop · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bank — for money
  3. swing — in golf
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. spring — of water
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pop — soda
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pop — music
  13. spring — the season
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — music
  17. spring — a coil
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bank — for money
  20. pop — to visit
  21. wind — moving air
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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