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: staff · bank · present · chip · stock · kid

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stock — shares
  3. kid — to tease
  4. staff — employees
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. present — a gift
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. staff — a stick
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. present — there
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bank — for money
  15. stock — goods
  16. chip — to eat
  17. kid — child
  18. present — the time now

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