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: rash · staff · fan · chip · jam · stick · bear · hand

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. staff — employees
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. hand — in cards
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rash — hasty
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. staff — employees
  24. bear — the animal

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