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: mark · bay · trunk · branch · chip · cabinet · file · mate

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mate — a friend
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. branch — a division
  23. file — a document
  24. trunk — of a car

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