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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. file — a document
  3. stock — shares
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. file — a tool
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pitch — completely
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. kick — in football
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stock — goods
  19. band — a music group
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. ball — a dance
  22. band — a ring
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. ball — a great time

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