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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. net — in sport
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. capital — a city
  9. pass — a permit
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. capital — money
  13. net — for catching
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. chip — for betting
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — goods
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. net — after costs

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