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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. dip — to sink
  3. perch — the fish
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. suit — in cards
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. stock — shares
  11. lean — to bend
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. lean — thin
  15. stock — goods
  16. capital — a city
  17. bound — obliged
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bound — tied together
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bound — certain

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