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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. squash — the sport
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bank — for money
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bank — of a river
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. squash — to crush
  19. sharp — clever
  20. chest — of your body
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. chest — a box

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