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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. firm — steady
  4. dip — to sink
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stock — goods
  7. bear — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. firm — a company
  10. season — of the year
  11. stock — shares
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. firm — decided
  14. bear — the animal
  15. season — in sport
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship

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