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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · fine · rest · kid · fan · game · bay · stock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. game — wild animals
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rest — a break
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fine — all right
  7. press — newspapers
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kid — to tease
  10. stock — shares
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stock — goods
  15. press — a publisher
  16. kid — child
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. game — a match
  21. rest — what's left
  22. press — to push
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. rest — what's left

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