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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. suit — clothes
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. court — of a king
  6. net — after costs
  7. court — of law
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. race — humankind
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. net — for catching
  14. dip — to sink
  15. net — in sport
  16. court — for sport
  17. stock — goods
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. last — finally
  20. suit — to fit
  21. race — a contest
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. mouse — the animal

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