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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stock — shares
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — happy
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. race — the arms race
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. pitch — completely
  17. fine — all right
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bark — to shout
  20. race — humankind
  21. content — the amount
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stock — goods
  24. pitch — a sports field

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