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: stock · chip · cap · lean · press · can · safe · jam

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lean — thin
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. can — a tin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. press — to push
  9. chip — for betting
  10. cap — of ice
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stock — goods
  15. chip — to eat
  16. press — a publisher
  17. can — a tin
  18. lean — to bend
  19. can — to be able to
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. press — newspapers
  22. cap — a lid
  23. stock — shares
  24. jam — in traffic

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