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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. stock — goods
  3. wake — a trail
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. perch — the fish
  9. fall — to drop
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fall — to drop
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stock — shares
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fall — the season
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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