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: lash · wound · chip · suit · stick · bulb · fork · firm

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. suit — in cards
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. fork — in a road
  14. wound — an injury
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. wound — an injury
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. firm — a company
  24. chip — for betting

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