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: swing · shower · chip · branch · dip · pitcher · staff · stand

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. swing — music
  6. stand — to bear
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. staff — employees
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. dip — to sink
  13. staff — a stick
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. branch — a division
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. chip — for betting
  21. swing — to play on
  22. staff — employees
  23. swing — in golf
  24. pitcher — a jug

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