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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. drill — army training
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. drill — a practice
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. sharp — clever
  10. stock — goods
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. drill — the tool
  15. tear — from crying
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. stock — shares
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. pass — to spend time

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