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 120 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stock — goods
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. foot — a measure
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bass — low music
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stock — shares
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — of ice

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