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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stock — shares
  3. can — a tin
  4. swing — music
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stock — goods
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. can — a tin
  10. row — a line
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. swing — to play on
  13. row — to paddle
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bank — for money
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. sharp — clever
  20. swing — in golf
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bank — of a river

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