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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stock — shares
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rule — a law
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. firm — decided
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. net — after costs
  10. pop — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pop — soda
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pop — to visit
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — music
  17. firm — steady
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. net — for catching
  23. rule — government
  24. firm — a company

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