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 · toast · bark · dip · prune · swing · fan · content

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. content — the amount
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. dip — to sink
  6. toast — bread
  7. chip — for betting
  8. content — happy
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chip — to eat
  16. swing — music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. swing — to play on
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. prune — to trim

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