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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. track — a song
  3. stock — shares
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. track — a path
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stock — goods
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — temperature
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bound — tied together
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bound — obliged
  22. drill — army training
  23. track — to keep track
  24. degree — an amount

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