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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. prune — to trim
  3. race — a contest
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stock — shares
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. spring — of water
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — the arms race
  13. row — a line
  14. prune — to trim
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. spring — the season
  18. row — to paddle
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. sharp — clever
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. lie — an untruth

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