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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  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. stock — goods
  2. lean — thin
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. charge — a price
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wind — moving air
  7. charge — in control
  8. lean — to bend
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mug — a face
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. stock — shares
  16. charge — electricity
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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