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: ball · lie · stock · bear · chip · chair · fork · nail

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stock — goods
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. chip — for betting
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — shares
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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