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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ground — a position
  3. pitch — completely
  4. ground — the earth
  5. bank — of a river
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stock — shares
  8. kick — in football
  9. bank — for money
  10. stock — goods
  11. capital — money
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. craft — boats
  20. capital — a city
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bank — for money
  23. craft — a skill
  24. capital — a big letter

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