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: chip · plane · branch · last · current · pitcher · cap · cabinet

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. last — final
  6. chip — for betting
  7. branch — a division
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chip — to eat
  10. current — happening now
  11. last — to go on
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. current — of water
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cap — a hat
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. current — electric
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pitcher — a jug

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