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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pit — in a race
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fall — the season
  9. cap — a lid
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — a division
  12. rock — a stone
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rash — hasty
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. scale — in music
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rock — music
  24. scale — size or range

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