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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. foot — a measure
  3. lie — to recline
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. stock — shares
  6. spring — of water
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — the season
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. rash — hasty
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rash — a series
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  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