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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. stock — goods
  4. dip — to sink
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. can — to be able to
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stock — shares
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. foot — a measure
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. ball — a great time
  21. can — a tin
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. plane — an aircraft

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