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 computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. object — to protest
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. chip — for betting
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. object — a thing
  9. bark — to shout
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — clever
  12. object — an aim
  13. chip — to eat
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chest — a box
  16. branch — a division
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. charge — a price
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — 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