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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. stock — shares
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stock — goods
  6. mark — a trace
  7. dip — to sink
  8. hand — in cards
  9. board — to get on
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hand — help
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mark — a grade
  16. board — a committee
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wind — moving air
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. snap — to click
  24. suit — in cards

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