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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. key — in music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pop — soda
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. cue — for pool
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stock — shares
  21. pop — to visit
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pop — music

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