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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. stock — goods
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rush — hurry
  6. land — a country
  7. stock — shares
  8. foot — a measure
  9. spring — of water
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. spring — the season
  12. ball — a great time
  13. craft — boats
  14. land — to come down
  15. ball — a dance
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. land — ground
  20. spring — a coil
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mark — a grade
  24. foot — the bottom

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