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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. roll — a cake
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stand — to bear
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. foot — a measure
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. roll — a list
  17. stock — shares
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. tube — a container
  22. stock — goods
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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