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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. charge — in control
  3. stock — goods
  4. track — a song
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. pop — soda
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pop — music
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. shower — rain
  13. toast — bread
  14. charge — a price
  15. pop — to visit
  16. track — a path
  17. stock — shares
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. charge — electricity
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bat — the animal
  24. pit — a hole

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