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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mate — a friend
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. fine — all right
  9. stock — goods
  10. squash — the sport
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. net — for catching
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. net — in sport
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — a law
  17. squash — to crush
  18. mate — a partner
  19. net — after costs
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mate — to breed
  24. suit — to fit

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