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: jam · sharp · hide · kick · stock · cue · arm · march

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — in football
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. march — music
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cue — for pool
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. march — the month
  17. stock — goods
  18. march — the month
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. stock — shares

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