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: bass · stem · calf · ground · charge · chip · sharp · mark

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. charge — in control
  13. chip — to eat
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ground — crushed
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bass — low music
  19. mark — a trace
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. stem — to come from
  22. charge — a price
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. mark — a grade

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