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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fine — high quality
  4. game — a match
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. field — farmland
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fine — all right
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. field — a subject
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. field — for sport
  24. bay — a horse colour

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