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: stick · chip · last · swing · patient · rock · rash · racket

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. swing — music
  4. chip — for betting
  5. swing — in golf
  6. last — finally
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rash — a series
  9. last — final
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. swing — to play on
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. last — to go on
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rash — hasty
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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