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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. present — the time now
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mug — to rob
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stock — shares
  8. present — there
  9. mug — a face
  10. present — a gift
  11. ball — a great time
  12. spring — the season
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. spring — of water
  15. scale — in music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. spring — a coil
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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