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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. track — a path
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. track — a song
  9. squash — to crush
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — for digging
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stock — goods
  16. wax — to grow
  17. perch — the fish
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. squash — the sport
  23. stock — shares
  24. track — to keep track

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