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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. degree — from a university
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bank — for money
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pass — a permit
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stock — goods
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. degree — an amount
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bank — of a river
  21. dip — to sink
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — in football

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