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: staff · object · date · stand · chip · bat · fan · spell

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. spell — letters
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. staff — employees
  8. spell — a short time
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. chip — to eat
  11. object — to protest
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. object — an aim
  17. staff — employees
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bat — the animal
  21. spell — magic
  22. object — a thing
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bat — for baseball

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