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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. club — for dancing
  3. stock — goods
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bear — the animal
  6. club — a group
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. sharp — clever
  13. club — for golf
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. dip — to sink

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