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: chip · pop · kick · swing · root · land · rush · squash

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pop — music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. kick — in football
  8. squash — to crush
  9. swing — music
  10. root — the cause
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. land — a country
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. root — of a plant
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pop — soda
  19. root — of a word
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. land — ground
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pop — to visit
  24. rush — hurry

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