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: bear · mouse · bulb · chip · row · suit · tear · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bear — the animal
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. tear — from crying
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. branch — a division
  19. chip — for betting
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bulb — for light

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