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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. object — a thing
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bore — to drill
  5. object — an aim
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stock — goods
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cue — a signal
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. ground — the earth
  12. cue — for pool
  13. ground — a position
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. content — happy
  18. toast — bread
  19. stock — shares
  20. object — to protest
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — videos and posts
  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