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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. lean — thin
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. roll — a list
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rule — a law
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lean — to bend
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cue — for pool
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rule — government
  17. stock — goods
  18. pop — music
  19. roll — a cake
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stock — shares
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pop — soda

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