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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bound — tied together
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fine — all right
  7. bound — obliged
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. perch — the fish
  10. file — a tool
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stock — shares
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. file — a line of people
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bound — certain
  21. file — a document
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. plane — in geometry

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