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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. march — the month
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chip — for betting
  12. key — the most important part
  13. march — the month
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. march — music
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. key — for a lock
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. lash — to lash out

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