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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. tear — to rip
  3. present — there
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cue — for pool
  6. march — the month
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. stock — goods
  12. march — the month
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cue — a signal
  18. present — the time now
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. tear — from crying
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stock — shares
  24. march — music

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