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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. spell — a short time
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. spell — magic
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. spell — letters
  10. track — a song
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. ground — a position
  13. season — in sport
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. track — a path
  17. ground — the earth
  18. season — of the year
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. track — to keep track
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stand — to bear

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