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 cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. firm — a company
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. branch — a division
  6. bore — to tire
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. net — after costs
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. net — in sport
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. firm — steady
  15. chip — for betting
  16. firm — decided
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bore — to drill
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. net — for catching
  24. racket — for tennis

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