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: game · firm · clip · chip · saw · stick · mine · chair

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — decided
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. game — wild animals
  7. clip — for paper
  8. game — a match
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. clip — a video
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mine — for digging
  14. chip — to eat
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. firm — a company
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. saw — the tool
  20. clip — to cut
  21. firm — steady
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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