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: racket · capital · branch · object · chip · bore · bowl · season

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. season — in sport
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. season — of the year
  8. capital — money
  9. bore — to tire
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — for betting
  12. object — to protest
  13. bore — to drill
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. object — an aim
  17. branch — a division
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. object — a thing
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. capital — a city

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