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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. stock — goods
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. spell — letters
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. kick — in football
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stem — to come from
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. stock — shares
  24. spell — magic

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