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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. stock — goods
  4. mate — a partner
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cap — a hat
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. march — the month
  9. cap — a lid
  10. march — the month
  11. mate — a friend
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. stock — shares
  15. mate — to breed
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. march — music
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rush — hurry
  24. jam — in traffic

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