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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. drill — army training
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. drill — the tool
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. drill — a practice
  15. chip — to eat
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. rash — a series
  18. branch — a division
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. dip — to sink
  22. chip — for betting
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rash — hasty

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