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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kick — in football
  7. scale — in music
  8. roll — a list
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. spring — the season
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — of water
  14. pound — a weight
  15. stock — shares
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stock — goods
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. snap — to click

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