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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mark — a trace
  3. content — the amount
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stock — goods
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pound — a weight
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. stock — shares
  22. content — happy
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fan — a supporter

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