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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stock — goods
  6. chest — a box
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — shares
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. root — the cause
  12. mate — a partner
  13. root — of a word
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mate — a friend
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mate — to breed
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rush — hurry

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