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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bass — low music
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. branch — a division
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pop — music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pop — soda
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bass — the fish
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pop — to visit
  20. chip — to eat
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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