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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. stock — shares
  3. firm — a company
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. season — of the year
  11. cap — a hat
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. cap — a lid
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stock — goods
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — decided
  19. vault — a safe
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. cap — of ice
  22. season — in sport
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bowl — to roll

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