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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. craft — a skill
  5. ground — a position
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rule — government
  8. mate — to breed
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stock — shares
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ground — the earth
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mate — a friend
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. cap — a lid
  17. snap — to click
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rule — a law
  24. stock — goods

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