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: chip · tube · racket · root · foot · charge · capital · land

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. land — a country
  4. root — of a word
  5. capital — a city
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. capital — money
  8. root — the cause
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. foot — a measure
  13. land — ground
  14. charge — a price
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. root — of a plant
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. land — to come down
  22. charge — in control
  23. chip — to eat
  24. charge — electricity

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