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

Word bank: toast · chip · tube · roll · spell · bass · branch · mouse

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. chip — for betting
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a cake
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. spell — a short time
  13. branch — a division
  14. spell — letters
  15. toast — bread
  16. spell — magic
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. tube — a container
  19. chip — to eat
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. tube — the underground
  24. roll — a list

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