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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. ground — the earth
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ground — a position
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mate — a friend
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. stock — shares
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ground — crushed
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. chair — a leader
  18. stock — goods
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mate — to breed
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. can — a tin
  24. mate — a partner

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