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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stand — to bear
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stock — goods
  7. craft — a skill
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. pop — soda
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. ground — a position
  17. sharp — clever
  18. craft — boats
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. stock — shares
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stand — on your feet

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