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: row · deal · roll · swing · chip · file · face · mug

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. mug — a face
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mug — to rob
  5. roll — a cake
  6. face — part of the head
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a tool
  9. swing — in golf
  10. chip — to eat
  11. deal — to handle
  12. row — a line
  13. mug — a cup
  14. face — to point toward
  15. row — to paddle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. swing — music
  18. file — a line of people
  19. face — to confront
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. chip — for betting
  23. roll — a list
  24. row — a quarrel

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