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: swing · shower · fine · mug · snap · stand · chip · rash

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. shower — to wash
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mug — a cup
  6. snap — to click
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. swing — music
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rash — hasty
  11. swing — to play on
  12. shower — rain
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. chip — to eat
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fine — high quality
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. fine — all right
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rash — a series
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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