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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. branch — a division
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. spring — of water
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. toast — bread
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bass — low music
  14. wind — moving air
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. fork — in a road
  17. foot — a measure
  18. spring — the season
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bass — the fish
  22. chip — for betting
  23. spring — a coil
  24. branch — of a bank

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