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

Word bank: chest · root · bore · hand · stand · capital · chip · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. root — the cause
  3. suit — in cards
  4. chip — for betting
  5. suit — to fit
  6. hand — in cards
  7. capital — money
  8. bore — to drill
  9. hand — help
  10. chip — to eat
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. root — of a plant
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bore — to tire
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. chest — a box
  18. root — of a word
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. capital — a city
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. chip — in a computer

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