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: bore · bass · chip · kick · jam · stem · chair · bark

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bass — low music
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stem — to come from
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bark — to shout
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chip — for betting

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