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 120 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: track · key · tear · calf · chip · branch · trunk · staff

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. tear — from crying
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. chip — for betting
  6. staff — a stick
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. chip — to eat
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. tear — from crying
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. branch — a division
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. tear — to rip
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. staff — employees
  24. key — the most important part

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