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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. squash — the sport
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rock — a stone
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bass — low music
  12. squash — to crush
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. chair — a leader
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rock — music
  19. tube — a container
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. stock — goods
  24. bass — the fish

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