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: bear · nail · chip · stem · spell · fall · firm · stand

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. fall — the season
  4. firm — steady
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. firm — decided
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. firm — a company
  11. spell — magic
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. spell — letters
  18. fall — to drop
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spell — a short time
  24. fall — to drop

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