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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. current — happening now
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stock — goods
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stock — shares
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rest — what's left
  16. current — electric
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. current — of water
  19. rest — a break
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. kick — in football

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