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: foot · mouse · stand · lean · firm · deal · chip · cold

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. foot — a measure
  8. firm — a company
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. firm — decided
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. lean — to bend
  13. firm — steady
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cold — not warm
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. lean — thin
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cold — an illness

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