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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. root — the cause
  4. stock — shares
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pit — a hole
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cold — an illness
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. cold — not warm
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cell — in biology
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. craft — boats
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. root — of a word
  20. stock — goods
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. cell — a phone

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