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: spell · mouse · field · ground · swing · pass · calf · chair

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. swing — music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. spell — magic
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ground — the earth
  11. spell — letters
  12. chair — a leader
  13. field — for sport
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. field — farmland
  16. ground — a position
  17. field — a subject
  18. pass — a permit
  19. spell — a short time
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. swing — in golf

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