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: chair · content · can · bank · calf · field · chip · spell

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. can — a tin
  4. bank — for money
  5. content — the amount
  6. chair — a leader
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. spell — magic
  10. content — happy
  11. can — to be able to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — farmland
  15. can — a tin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. field — a subject
  18. chip — for betting
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. spell — letters
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bank — for money
  24. spell — a short time

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