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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stock — shares
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. stock — goods
  10. chip — to eat
  11. dip — to sink
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rash — a series
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. chip — for betting

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