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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ground — a position
  7. roll — a cake
  8. track — a song
  9. ground — crushed
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. face — part of the head
  13. ground — the earth
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stock — goods
  17. roll — a list
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. face — to point toward
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stock — shares
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. face — to confront

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