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: lean · bulb · drill · chip · content · jam · branch · season

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. content — happy
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. content — the amount
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. branch — a division
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. chip — for betting
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. season — in sport
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bulb — for light
  15. drill — the tool
  16. lean — to bend
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bulb — for light
  20. drill — army training
  21. season — of the year
  22. lean — thin
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. lean — to rest against

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