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

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. charge — in control
  3. rule — a law
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cap — a hat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. cap — a lid
  12. charge — a price
  13. rule — government
  14. branch — a division
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cap — of ice
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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