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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fall — to drop
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — army training
  8. stock — goods
  9. fall — the season
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. board — a committee
  13. fall — to drop
  14. drill — the tool
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. content — happy
  20. content — the amount
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stock — shares
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. board — to get on

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