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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. stock — goods
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. field — farmland
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. stock — shares
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mate — to breed
  12. field — for sport
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pit — a hole
  20. field — a subject
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fork — to eat with

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