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 · stock · bound · chip · stick · net · ball · saw

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — wild animals
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. saw — the tool
  7. net — in sport
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stock — shares
  10. ball — a great time
  11. net — after costs
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bound — obliged
  14. game — a match
  15. bound — tied together
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. net — for catching
  20. stock — goods
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bound — certain
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ball — a dance

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