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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fine — all right
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stock — shares
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. sharp — clever
  12. fine — high quality
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stock — goods
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pit — a hole
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pass — to spend time

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