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: stem · bound · swing · kid · chip · spell · ball · pass

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bound — certain
  5. spell — magic
  6. bound — tied together
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. spell — a short time
  10. kid — to tease
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. chip — to eat
  14. spell — letters
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pass — a permit
  21. ball — a great time
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bound — obliged
  24. ball — a dance

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