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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mate — a partner
  3. drill — army training
  4. content — happy
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mate — to breed
  7. stock — shares
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. content — the amount
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stock — goods
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. drill — a practice
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bass — low music
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. ruler — for measuring

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