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: firm · cap · chip · roll · hide · date · calf · stand

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. roll — a cake
  3. stand — to bear
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. firm — steady
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. firm — decided
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. cap — a hat
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. chip — to eat
  16. roll — a list
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. chip — for betting
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. firm — a company
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. date — the fruit

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