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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mate — a friend
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. snap — to click
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stock — goods
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. sharp — clever
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mate — a partner
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mate — to breed
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. perch — the fish
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fan — a supporter

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