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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. tube — the underground
  4. cap — of ice
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. branch — a division
  8. pit — a hole
  9. tube — a container
  10. pit — in a race
  11. cap — a lid
  12. chip — for betting
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. chip — to eat
  17. current — happening now
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. current — of water
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. cap — a hat
  24. current — electric

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