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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. current — electric
  3. mine — for digging
  4. current — of water
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. content — the amount
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. branch — a division
  9. firm — a company
  10. content — happy
  11. current — happening now
  12. chip — to eat
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. firm — decided
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. firm — steady
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. chip — for betting
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. content — videos and posts

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