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: cue · lean · deal · chip · lash · calf · field · swing

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. swing — to play on
  3. field — a subject
  4. chip — to eat
  5. swing — in golf
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cue — a signal
  8. lean — thin
  9. deal — to handle
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. swing — music
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. cue — a hint
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — farmland
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. chip — for betting

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