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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. lie — to recline
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. chest — a box
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. dip — to sink
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. can — a tin
  16. stock — goods
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. stock — shares
  20. can — to be able to
  21. deal — to handle
  22. ball — a dance
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. can — a tin

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