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

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. net — in sport
  4. stock — goods
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. court — for sport
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stock — shares
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. court — of law

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