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 120 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: drill · chip · rock · can · field · swing · wind · safe

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. field — a subject
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. swing — in golf
  6. drill — a practice
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. swing — music
  12. drill — the tool
  13. wind — moving air
  14. chip — for betting
  15. drill — army training
  16. rock — a stone
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. can — a tin
  19. wind — moving air
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — for sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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