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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. current — of water
  6. mark — a trace
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. current — happening now
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. current — electric
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — a country
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. land — ground
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. mark — a grade
  23. branch — a division
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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