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: fall · charge · swing · jam · pitch · chip · roll · court

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. court — for sport
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. roll — a list
  8. charge — in control
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. chip — to eat
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. court — of a king
  14. swing — music
  15. court — of law
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fall — to drop
  18. charge — a price
  19. chip — for betting
  20. charge — electricity
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pitch — completely
  24. fall — the season

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