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 116 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: current · bay · cell · swing · field · ground · chip · mate

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. field — for sport
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ground — the earth
  5. swing — to play on
  6. current — of water
  7. chip — to eat
  8. current — happening now
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. field — farmland
  11. swing — music
  12. cell — in biology
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. ground — a position
  17. cell — a phone
  18. ground — crushed
  19. current — electric
  20. swing — in golf
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. field — a subject
  24. chip — for betting

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