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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. spell — letters
  6. stock — shares
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. spell — magic
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bat — the animal
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stock — goods
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pop — music

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