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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. can — a tin
  4. stock — goods
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. rash — hasty
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. tear — to rip
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. stock — shares
  18. rash — a series

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