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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. sharp — clever
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. rest — what's left
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rest — what's left
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rest — a break

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