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 116 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: deal · bat · pitcher · rash · root · stock · clip · safe

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. stock — shares
  3. deal — to handle
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rash — hasty
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. root — the cause
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stock — goods
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. clip — a video
  13. root — of a word
  14. rash — a series
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bat — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. clip — for paper

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