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: chip · game · rest · pass · capital · branch · lash · pit

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pit — in a race
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. rest — what's left
  7. game — a match
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rest — a break
  13. branch — a division
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pit — a hole
  19. game — wild animals
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. capital — a city
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pass — a permit

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