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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bat — the animal
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. season — of the year
  5. stock — goods
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rash — hasty
  9. stock — shares
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rash — a series
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. rush — hurry
  17. vault — a safe
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pop — music
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pop — soda
  24. season — in sport

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