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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. clip — a video
  3. cell — in biology
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. clip — to cut
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cell — a phone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. clip — for paper
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. toast — bread

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