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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. tear — from crying
  6. degree — from a university
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. stock — shares
  10. tear — to rip
  11. stock — goods
  12. degree — temperature
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. tear — from crying
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cue — a hint
  19. degree — an amount
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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