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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. net — after costs
  6. current — electric
  7. chest — of your body
  8. current — happening now
  9. net — for catching
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. branch — a division
  12. current — of water
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pitch — completely
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. net — in sport
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. chest — a box
  24. bore — to drill

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