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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. hand — in cards
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. stock — shares
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. date — the fruit
  7. current — happening now
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mug — a face
  10. hand — help
  11. current — electric
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mug — to rob
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. stock — goods
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mug — a cup
  23. current — of water
  24. pound — a weight

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