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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stock — shares
  3. cue — a signal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. degree — temperature
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. cold — an illness
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cold — not warm
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. stock — goods
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. degree — from a university
  20. cue — a hint
  21. degree — an amount
  22. branch — a division
  23. pit — in a race
  24. cue — for pool

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