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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rush — hurry
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. ground — a position
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stock — shares
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stock — goods
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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