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 120 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. tear — from crying
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. stock — shares
  7. tear — to rip
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. tear — from crying
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. rule — government
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. rule — a law
  22. chair — a leader
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mouse — the animal

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