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 120 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: net · chest · wind · content · swing · charge · pass · staff

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. swing — in golf
  3. wind — moving air
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pass — a permit
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. chest — of your body
  8. net — after costs
  9. charge — in control
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. swing — music
  12. net — for catching
  13. wind — moving air
  14. net — in sport
  15. content — the amount
  16. charge — a price
  17. staff — employees
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. content — happy
  20. chest — of your body
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. chest — a box
  24. swing — to play on

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