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 120 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stock — goods
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. present — the time now
  12. drill — army training
  13. rock — music
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. drill — a practice
  16. present — there
  17. fine — all right
  18. present — a gift
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fine — high quality
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stock — shares

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