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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. press — to push
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bank — for money
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. object — a thing
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. stock — goods
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. perch — the fish
  16. object — to protest
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bank — for money
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pitch — completely
  23. object — an aim
  24. foot — a measure

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