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 120 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. chip — for betting
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. branch — a division
  5. race — a contest
  6. chip — to eat
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bank — for money
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bank — of a river
  11. prune — to trim
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — humankind
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bank — for money
  21. prune — to trim
  22. sharp — clever
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. chip — in a computer

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