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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. cue — a hint
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cue — a signal
  7. degree — temperature
  8. cue — for pool
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stock — shares
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lean — thin
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. degree — from a university

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