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: present · object · chip · fork · degree · staff

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. object — a thing
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. object — to protest
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. degree — temperature
  9. staff — a stick
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. staff — employees
  12. present — a gift
  13. staff — employees
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. degree — an amount
  17. object — an aim
  18. degree — from a university

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