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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · plane · branch · pitcher · chip · board

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. board — a committee
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. cap — of ice
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chip — to eat
  8. cap — a lid
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. chip — for betting
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cap — a hat
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. board — to get on
  18. branch — a division

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