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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. capital — money
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mark — a trace
  6. capital — a city
  7. mark — a grade
  8. cue — a signal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pop — music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stock — shares
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stock — goods
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bass — low music
  23. pop — soda
  24. bass — the instrument

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