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 116 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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. season — in sport
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stock — shares
  6. pass — a permit
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bass — low music
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. fork — in a road
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cap — of ice
  17. stock — goods
  18. cap — a lid
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bark — to shout
  22. season — of the year
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bass — the fish

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