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: lash · charge · chip · branch · pop · field · present · bark

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. branch — a division
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — for sport
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pop — to visit
  9. present — there
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. field — farmland
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. present — the time now
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. charge — in control
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. present — a gift
  19. pop — soda
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pop — music
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bark — to shout

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