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: chair · snap · fan · rock · chip · staff · trunk · pound

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. snap — to click
  4. staff — employees
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pound — a weight
  8. chip — to eat
  9. staff — a stick
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. staff — employees
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. fan — to cool the air

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