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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stock — shares
  5. rock — music
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. press — to push
  8. scale — in music
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. firm — a company
  12. press — newspapers
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — a position
  15. press — a publisher
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. stock — goods
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. firm — decided
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. firm — steady
  23. rock — a stone
  24. dip — to sink

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