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 · fall · prune · capital · file · object · staff · stand

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. capital — money
  3. object — an aim
  4. fall — the season
  5. staff — employees
  6. file — a line of people
  7. staff — a stick
  8. object — a thing
  9. prune — to trim
  10. file — a tool
  11. stand — to bear
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chip — to eat
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. chip — for betting
  17. object — to protest
  18. fall — to drop
  19. file — a document
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. fall — to drop
  23. staff — employees
  24. capital — a city

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