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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rash — a series
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. current — electric
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. craft — boats
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. current — happening now
  11. ball — a dance
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. stock — shares
  14. content — happy
  15. rash — hasty
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. content — the amount
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. fork — in a road
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. ball — a great time
  22. current — of water
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stock — goods

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