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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stock — goods
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rash — a series
  11. can — a tin
  12. bat — the animal
  13. charge — a price
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. can — a tin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — in control
  24. rash — on the skin

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