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: bank · plane · stock · fine · fork · chip · present · court

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. court — for sport
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bank — for money
  5. fine — all right
  6. bank — for money
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. present — a gift
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. present — there
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fork — in a road
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. court — of law
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stock — goods
  22. present — the time now
  23. court — of a king
  24. fork — a garden tool

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