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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. stock — goods
  9. pit — in a race
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cap — a lid
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. rock — music
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cap — a hat
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. sharp — clever
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. sharp — with an edge

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