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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. charge — in control
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. cap — a lid
  6. charge — a price
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stock — goods
  10. shower — rain
  11. charge — electricity
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. craft — a skill
  14. date — the fruit
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. snap — to click
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. shower — to wash
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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