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: fall · chip · stock · rock · firm · cap · stick · hide

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. firm — steady
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fall — the season
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rock — a stone
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stock — shares
  18. firm — a company
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. firm — decided
  24. cap — a lid

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