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: chip · plane · staff · chair · fan · deal · fall · chest

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chip — for betting
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. fall — to drop
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — a box
  13. chip — to eat
  14. staff — a stick
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fall — to drop
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. staff — employees
  20. plane — a tool
  21. fall — the season
  22. chair — a leader
  23. staff — employees
  24. fan — a supporter

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