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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. cap — a lid
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cap — of ice
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. stock — shares
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. date — the fruit
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. roll — a cake
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. roll — a list
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. cap — a hat
  24. sharp — clever

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