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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. board — to get on
  3. mug — to rob
  4. chip — for betting
  5. present — a gift
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stock — goods
  10. stem — to come from
  11. present — the time now
  12. file — a tool
  13. mug — a cup
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stock — shares
  16. file — a line of people
  17. board — a committee
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. file — a document
  22. chip — to eat
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. mug — a face

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