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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. content — happy
  9. mark — a trace
  10. squash — the sport
  11. content — the amount
  12. stock — shares
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. lie — to recline
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stock — goods
  23. pitch — completely
  24. temple — a place of worship

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