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: bore · chip · sharp · stick · staff · firm · prune · bowl

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. staff — employees
  3. chip — to eat
  4. sharp — clever
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. firm — a company
  17. staff — a stick
  18. firm — steady
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. chip — for betting
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. firm — decided
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — to roll

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