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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. branch — a division
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. present — the time now
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mark — a grade
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. toast — bread
  16. mark — a trace
  17. present — a gift
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. date — the fruit
  20. present — there
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. kick — in football
  24. stock — goods

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