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: rest · stock · lean · tear · scale · chip · patient · key

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. scale — in music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. tear — from crying
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rest — a break
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. rest — what's left
  17. key — the most important part
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. scale — size or range
  20. rest — what's left
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. chip — to eat
  23. key — in music
  24. chip — for betting

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