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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. shower — rain
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — after costs
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stock — goods
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mate — a friend
  16. can — a tin
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mate — a partner
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mark — a trace
  22. can — a tin
  23. shower — to wash
  24. can — to be able to

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