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 124 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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mark — a grade
  6. content — the amount
  7. swing — music
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stock — goods
  11. bear — the animal
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — happy
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. swing — to play on
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. swing — in golf
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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