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 116 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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. craft — boats
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pass — a permit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stock — goods
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stock — shares
  24. fall — the season

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