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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. charge — electricity
  4. land — to come down
  5. chest — a box
  6. chest — of your body
  7. pound — a weight
  8. chest — of your body
  9. land — a country
  10. hand — help
  11. stock — goods
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. land — ground
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. charge — in control
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. stock — shares
  24. charge — a price

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