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: season · key · firm · rest · date · tear · swing · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. rest — what's left
  3. season — in sport
  4. swing — music
  5. date — the fruit
  6. firm — a company
  7. tear — from crying
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. tear — from crying
  12. key — the most important part
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. season — of the year
  15. firm — steady
  16. tear — to rip
  17. swing — to play on
  18. firm — decided
  19. chip — for betting
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. chip — to eat
  22. key — in music
  23. date — on the calendar
  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