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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bound — obliged
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. row — to paddle
  5. stock — shares
  6. clip — a video
  7. cap — a lid
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bound — certain
  15. stock — goods
  16. row — a line
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. clip — to cut
  19. cap — a hat
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. clip — for paper
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bound — tied together

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