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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. ground — the earth
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — newspapers
  5. mate — a friend
  6. kick — in football
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a ring
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stock — goods
  14. ground — a position
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mate — a partner
  17. press — to push
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mate — to breed
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. band — a music group
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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