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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lean — thin
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitch — completely
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. suit — clothes
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lean — to bend
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip
  19. stock — goods
  20. tear — from crying
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. suit — to fit
  24. prune — to trim

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