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: swing · bay · squash · chest · bark · chip · lean · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. chest — of your body
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. swing — music
  5. squash — the sport
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. chest — a box
  11. fine — all right
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. chest — of your body
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. swing — to play on
  19. lean — to bend
  20. swing — in golf
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. lean — thin

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