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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. pop — to visit
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bat — the animal
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. dip — to sink
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. stock — goods
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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