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: chip · fork · firm · bay · chair · stick · cap · ball

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ball — a dance
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chair — a leader
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cap — of ice
  10. ball — a great time
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. firm — steady
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. chip — to eat
  20. firm — decided
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. cap — a hat
  24. firm — a company

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