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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rash — hasty
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. tear — from crying
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. tear — to rip
  15. can — a tin
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pitch — completely
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — goods
  20. rash — a series
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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