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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. ground — crushed
  3. tube — a container
  4. bank — of a river
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. present — a gift
  8. bank — for money
  9. stock — goods
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. present — the time now
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. ground — the earth
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. ground — a position
  18. present — there
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fine — all right
  21. tube — the underground
  22. fine — high quality
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bank — for money

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