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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stock — goods
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rule — government
  6. pit — in a race
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. face — to point toward
  11. stock — shares
  12. row — a line
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — to paddle
  16. face — to confront
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rule — a law
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. ball — a great time
  23. face — part of the head
  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