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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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. craft — boats
  2. stock — goods
  3. chip — for betting
  4. can — to be able to
  5. pit — a hole
  6. stock — shares
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rule — a law
  9. chip — to eat
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. can — a tin
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. can — a tin
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. squash — to crush
  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