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 116 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: bank · tube · file · chip · calf · row · pound · stick

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bank — for money
  4. chip — to eat
  5. row — a line
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. file — a document
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. tube — the underground
  13. file — a tool
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. tube — a container
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pound — a weight
  24. file — a line of people

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