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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. stock — goods
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bank — for money
  7. roll — a cake
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bat — the animal
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — shares
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bank — for money
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bank — of a river
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mark — a grade
  23. perch — the fish
  24. safe — out of danger

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