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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. row — a line
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stock — shares
  5. current — happening now
  6. chip — to eat
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rush — hurry
  9. land — a country
  10. stock — goods
  11. chip — for betting
  12. row — to paddle
  13. current — of water
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. land — to come down
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. land — ground
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. current — electric
  24. row — a quarrel

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