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 is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stock — shares
  3. degree — temperature
  4. stock — goods
  5. last — to go on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. firm — decided
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. net — after costs
  10. club — for dancing
  11. net — for catching
  12. club — for golf
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bass — the fish
  15. firm — steady
  16. bass — low music
  17. firm — a company
  18. club — a group
  19. net — in sport
  20. degree — an amount
  21. last — final
  22. last — finally
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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