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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stock — goods
  4. row — a line
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. shower — rain
  9. stock — shares
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. row — to paddle
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wake — a trail
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pitch — completely

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