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: chip · present · stem · cue · stand · charge · fine · wake

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stem — to come from
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cue — a hint
  9. charge — electricity
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. charge — a price
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fine — all right
  14. charge — in control
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. present — a gift
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. fine — high quality
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. present — there
  23. wake — a trail
  24. present — the time now

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