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 · stand · charge · chip · club · land · straw · lean

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. charge — a price
  3. lean — thin
  4. club — for dancing
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. stand — to bear
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. land — a country
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. club — for golf
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. charge — electricity
  16. land — ground
  17. lean — to bend
  18. club — a group
  19. land — to come down
  20. charge — in control
  21. chip — to eat
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. deal — an agreement

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