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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. charge — in control
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. charge — a price
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. dip — to sink
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. spring — the season
  10. branch — a division
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. kick — in football
  13. chip — for betting
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. spring — of water
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. chip — to eat
  24. kick — a thrill

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