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: stick · date · kid · firm · coach · bass · chip · spell

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. date — the fruit
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bass — low music
  7. chip — for betting
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. spell — magic
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bass — the fish
  14. spell — letters
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. firm — steady
  22. kid — child
  23. firm — decided
  24. coach — a trainer

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