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 · chair · track · bowl · press · current · coach · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. current — electric
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bank — for money
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. track — a song
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. current — happening now
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chair — a leader
  20. current — of water
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chip — to eat

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