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: wake · deal · chip · branch · current · wind · capital · bore

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. current — of water
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wake — a trail
  11. capital — money
  12. current — happening now
  13. branch — a division
  14. current — electric
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chip — for betting
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. capital — a city
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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