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: deal · stick · chip · stock · wind · pass

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — a permit
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. stock — shares
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stock — goods
  17. deal — to handle
  18. chip — for betting

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