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 116 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: file · scale · branch · chip · bat · wind · bore · can

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. chip — for betting
  3. file — a tool
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. file — a line of people
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. scale — in music
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. branch — a division
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. wind — moving air
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. file — a document
  19. chip — to eat
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. scale — size or range

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