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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — a position
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. march — the month
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. march — the month
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. march — music
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ground — the earth
  14. stock — shares
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stock — goods

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