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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stock — goods
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. deal — to handle
  15. suit — clothes
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. mug — a cup
  19. capital — a city
  20. stock — shares
  21. capital — money
  22. chip — to eat
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. chip — for betting

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