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: swing · capital · stand · chip · wound · firm · track · key

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. track — to keep track
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. firm — decided
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. key — in music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. chip — for betting
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. track — a path
  13. chip — to eat
  14. firm — steady
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wound — an injury
  18. stand — to bear
  19. track — a song
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. key — the most important part
  22. swing — to play on
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a city

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