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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stock — shares
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. snap — to click
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. perch — the fish
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — for dancing
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — in music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. net — for catching
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. club — a group
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. stock — goods

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