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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. dip — to sink
  5. spell — a short time
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stock — shares
  8. stand — to bear
  9. craft — a skill
  10. stock — goods
  11. snap — to click
  12. spell — letters
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. spell — magic
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. hand — help
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. craft — boats
  22. hand — in cards
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. prune — to trim

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