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: hide · chip · stock · staff · snap · current · prune · ball

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. current — of water
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. current — electric
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. prune — to trim
  9. staff — employees
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a dance
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. current — happening now
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chip — for betting
  24. prune — 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