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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. firm — a company
  3. mug — a cup
  4. stock — goods
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. firm — steady
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fine — high quality
  9. firm — decided
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — shares
  12. squash — the sport
  13. fine — all right
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. squash — to crush
  16. kick — in football
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. mug — to rob
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. kid — child

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