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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. can — a tin
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. band — a music group
  5. race — a contest
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. race — the arms race
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. band — a ring
  12. can — to be able to
  13. race — humankind
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. pound — a weight
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. branch — a division
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. can — a tin
  23. chip — to eat
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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