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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pop — music
  7. stock — shares
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. swing — music
  10. stock — goods
  11. staff — a stick
  12. lean — thin
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pop — to visit
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. staff — employees
  17. swing — to play on
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. staff — employees
  24. swing — in golf

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