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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. stock — goods
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. press — to push
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. press — newspapers
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. dip — to sink
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. net — in sport
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stock — shares
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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