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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. row — a line
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. press — to push
  7. firm — decided
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. stock — shares
  13. press — newspapers
  14. pit — in a race
  15. firm — a company
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. row — to paddle
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pit — a hole
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. firm — steady
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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