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: bank · pass · fall · chip · object · nail · club · stick

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. object — to protest
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. club — for golf
  10. bank — for money
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. club — a group
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. object — an aim
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. fall — to drop
  21. object — a thing
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bank — of a river

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