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: charge · wake · mate · chest · bay · branch · bore · chip

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mate — a partner
  5. chip — to eat
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mate — a friend
  8. charge — a price
  9. branch — a division
  10. chest — a box
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. mate — to breed
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. charge — in control
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bore — to drill
  23. chest — of your body
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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