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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. land — to come down
  3. craft — a skill
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. cue — a hint
  8. craft — boats
  9. cue — a signal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. cue — for pool
  14. stock — goods
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. land — ground
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — a contest
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. pass — a permit
  22. land — a country
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. race — humankind

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