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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. cap — a hat
  3. last — to go on
  4. stock — goods
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. last — final
  11. last — finally
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. mark — a trace
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stock — shares
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bowl — a dish

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