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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fine — all right
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. stock — shares
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mate — a partner
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ball — a dance
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fine — high quality
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mate — to breed
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. stock — goods
  20. mate — a friend
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. ball — a great time

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