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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lean — to bend
  5. sharp — clever
  6. craft — a skill
  7. ball — a great time
  8. craft — boats
  9. stock — shares
  10. bound — tied together
  11. squash — the sport
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bound — obliged
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bound — certain
  20. stock — goods
  21. squash — to crush
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lean — thin

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