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: press · roll · bank · swing · ball · object · shower · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. object — an aim
  3. bank — for money
  4. shower — rain
  5. swing — in golf
  6. press — to push
  7. chip — to eat
  8. shower — to wash
  9. object — to protest
  10. bank — for money
  11. press — newspapers
  12. roll — a cake
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. press — a publisher
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. ball — a dance
  17. roll — a list
  18. object — a thing
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. bank — of a river
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. ball — a great time

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