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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pit — in a race
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — shares
  11. season — of the year
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bear — the animal
  18. season — in sport
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. leaves — to go away
  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