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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stock — shares
  4. chip — for betting
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. drill — the tool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. drill — a practice
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. perch — the fish
  15. chip — to eat
  16. row — a line
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stock — goods
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. drill — army training
  23. row — to paddle
  24. safe — a strongbox

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