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: chip · branch · bowl · drill · cue · bank · tear · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. drill — the tool
  3. cue — for pool
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bank — for money
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. tear — to rip
  10. cue — a signal
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. tear — from crying
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. drill — army training
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bank — for money
  22. drill — a practice
  23. cue — a hint
  24. tear — from crying

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