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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. wound — an injury
  3. current — happening now
  4. chest — a box
  5. stock — goods
  6. current — of water
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. chip — for betting
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. current — electric
  24. chest — of your body

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