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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pass — a permit
  4. degree — an amount
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bound — obliged
  10. charge — a price
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — temperature
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — in control
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stock — goods
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — certain

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