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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. object — a thing
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. stock — goods
  11. clip — for paper
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. clip — a video
  16. object — an aim
  17. snap — to click
  18. board — a committee
  19. clip — to cut
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. board — to get on
  24. object — to protest

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