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: jam · bear · deal · chip · trunk · tube · file · cabinet

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bear — the animal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. file — a document
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. deal — to handle
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. chip — to eat
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. tube — a container
  19. file — a line of people
  20. chip — for betting
  21. tube — the underground
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. file — a tool
  24. deal — a big deal

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