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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. mark — a trace
  2. game — a match
  3. spell — magic
  4. tube — the underground
  5. game — wild animals
  6. rock — a stone
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. stock — shares
  12. mate — a partner
  13. charge — a price
  14. rock — music
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mate — to breed
  18. tube — a container
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mate — a friend
  23. charge — in control
  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