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: spell · game · firm · branch · stick · fan · pit · stand

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. spell — magic
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. spell — letters
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pit — in a race
  14. spell — a short time
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pit — a hole
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. firm — decided
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stand — for spectators

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