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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. firm — steady
  4. vault — a safe
  5. season — in sport
  6. firm — decided
  7. season — of the year
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. stock — goods
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. rock — a stone
  12. net — in sport
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. net — after costs
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rock — music
  19. firm — a company
  20. stock — shares
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. net — for catching

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