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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. stock — goods
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stock — shares
  6. court — for sport
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. court — of law
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. court — of a king
  16. race — the arms race
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. race — a contest
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. race — humankind
  24. temple — a place of worship

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