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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stock — shares
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. pitch — completely
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stock — goods
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. staff — employees
  19. mine — for digging
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. plane — an aircraft

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