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: calf · race · stand · cue · bat · leaves · chip · chair

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. chip — to eat
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bat — the animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — a contest
  15. cue — a signal
  16. race — humankind
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chair — a leader
  19. cue — a hint
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — to bear

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