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: firm · kick · wave · chip · ground · perch · last · stick

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. firm — a company
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. last — final
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. firm — decided
  8. ground — crushed
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. perch — the fish
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. ground — a position
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. kick — in football
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — finally
  23. ground — the earth
  24. firm — steady

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