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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. saw — the tool
  3. capital — a city
  4. rock — a stone
  5. capital — money
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. can — a tin
  11. rock — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. roll — a list
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — to be able to
  17. land — to come down
  18. stock — goods
  19. roll — a cake
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. saw — the tool

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