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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. kid — child
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. march — the month
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stock — goods
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. chair — a leader
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. kid — to tease
  21. march — music
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. stock — shares

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