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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stock — shares
  3. mark — a trace
  4. row — a line
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cue — a signal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. row — to paddle
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mark — a grade
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. perch — the fish
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. cue — for pool
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mark — to pay attention

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