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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. ball — a dance
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stand — to bear
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. stock — shares
  18. ball — a great time
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rash — a series
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. stock — goods

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