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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stock — shares
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. degree — from a university
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stock — goods
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. net — in sport
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stand — to bear
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rule — government
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rule — a law
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. degree — temperature
  23. degree — an amount
  24. net — for catching

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