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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cap — a hat
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. season — in sport
  8. stock — shares
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. object — an aim
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rush — hurry
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. sharp — clever
  18. object — to protest
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. object — a thing
  21. cap — a lid
  22. stock — goods
  23. season — of the year
  24. rush — a thrill

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