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 116 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bear — the animal
  11. row — a line
  12. rock — music
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stock — goods
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fine — all right

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