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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pound — a weight
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. root — the cause
  7. stock — shares
  8. root — of a word
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. sharp — clever
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stock — goods
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. file — a document
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. file — a line of people
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wake — a trail

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