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 120 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pit — a hole
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. kid — to tease
  8. kid — child
  9. stock — goods
  10. ball — a great time
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bark — to shout
  17. foot — a measure
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stock — shares

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