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 116 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's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. current — happening now
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stock — goods
  5. stand — to bear
  6. current — electric
  7. wound — an injury
  8. current — of water
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — to protest
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. object — a thing
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stock — shares
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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