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: trunk · march · net · chip · fall · stick · rest · season

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fall — the season
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. net — in sport
  9. fall — to drop
  10. net — for catching
  11. season — in sport
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. chip — to eat
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. march — the month
  18. net — after costs
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rest — what's left

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