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: cabinet · chip · lash · fall · branch · temple · chest · rush

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chip — for betting
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rush — hurry
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chip — to eat
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. branch — a division
  13. fall — the season
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. fall — to drop
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. chest — of your body

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