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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. can — a tin
  11. stock — goods
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. can — a tin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. can — to be able to
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. stock — shares

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