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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stock — shares
  5. capital — a city
  6. sharp — clever
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stock — goods
  10. capital — money
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bank — for money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bank — for money
  18. key — for a lock
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — in music
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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