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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. last — finally
  5. pit — a hole
  6. field — a subject
  7. last — final
  8. last — to go on
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. field — for sport
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pit — in a race
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. suit — in cards
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. suit — to fit
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. prune — to trim
  24. suit — clothes

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