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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. face — to point toward
  3. scale — in music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. present — a gift
  6. face — to confront
  7. chair — a leader
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. present — the time now
  10. branch — a division
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pitch — completely
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. chip — to eat
  20. present — there
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — size or range
  24. branch — of a bank

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