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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. present — there
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. club — a group
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. present — a gift
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. stock — goods
  11. cap — a lid
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. club — for dancing
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. vault — a safe
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. club — for golf
  18. kick — in football
  19. craft — boats
  20. present — the time now
  21. craft — a skill
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stock — a soup base

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