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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bass — the fish
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. file — a tool
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stock — shares
  19. file — a document
  20. stock — goods
  21. bass — low music
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — the animal
  24. stock — a soup base

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