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: cap · firm · bore · chest · chip · ground · foot · stick

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. firm — a company
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. chest — of your body
  10. ground — the earth
  11. chest — of your body
  12. foot — a measure
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bore — to tire
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. firm — steady
  20. chip — to eat
  21. firm — decided
  22. ground — a position
  23. bore — to drill
  24. chest — a box

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