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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. current — electric
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. scale — size or range
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. current — happening now
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. scale — in music
  18. deal — to handle
  19. mark — a trace
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. stock — goods
  22. current — of water
  23. stock — shares
  24. mark — to pay attention

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