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 120 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: present · clip · branch · chip · cabinet · bay · mug · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. present — a gift
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. present — the time now
  5. chip — to eat
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. board — to get on
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. branch — a division
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mug — a face
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — to cut
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. chip — for betting
  19. mug — to rob
  20. clip — a video
  21. mug — a cup
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. present — there

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