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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stock — shares
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. foot — a measure
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. fine — all right
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stock — goods
  17. chair — a leader
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fine — high quality
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. hand — in cards
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. nail — for a hammer

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