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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. cell — in biology
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cue — for pool
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cap — of ice
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. stock — goods
  15. cell — a phone
  16. fork — in a road
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mine — for digging
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. cue — a signal
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cap — a hat

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