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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. current — of water
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stock — goods
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. stock — shares
  8. fine — all right
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. current — electric
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fine — high quality
  20. current — happening now
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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