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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. club — for golf
  5. stock — goods
  6. cold — not warm
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. club — a group
  11. cold — an illness
  12. stock — shares
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. squash — the sport
  18. club — for dancing
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — a hat
  22. stand — to bear
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — in traffic

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