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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. squash — the sport
  6. stock — shares
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. stock — goods
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bound — obliged
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bat — the animal

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