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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. court — for sport
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stock — shares
  5. kick — in football
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. ground — crushed
  10. craft — boats
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. chair — a leader
  13. stock — goods
  14. court — of law
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ground — a position
  17. court — of a king
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. ground — the earth
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. craft — a skill

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