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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. charge — electricity
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. row — a line
  8. tube — the underground
  9. row — to paddle
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. plane — a tool
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tube — a container
  15. roll — a cake
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. charge — a price
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. branch — a division
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. charge — in control

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