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: last · chip · prune · stand · stock · saw · fork · staff

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stock — goods
  5. last — final
  6. stand — to bear
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. staff — a stick
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. last — to go on
  15. last — finally
  16. staff — employees
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stock — shares
  19. chip — for betting
  20. saw — the tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fork — in a road

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