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 116 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: fan · stock · chip · hand · rest · present · field · sharp

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. present — the time now
  3. chip — for betting
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stock — shares
  8. rest — what's left
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. field — farmland
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hand — in cards
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. hand — help
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rest — a break
  20. stock — goods
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — there
  23. field — a subject
  24. rest — what's left

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