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: chip · net · stock · bulb · jam · firm · plane · sharp

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. net — in sport
  5. chip — to eat
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. sharp — clever
  13. stock — goods
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bulb — for light
  16. firm — decided
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. net — for catching
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. plane — in geometry

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