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

Word bank: deal · nail · cold · dip · net · stock · cabinet · staff

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. staff — employees
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. dip — to sink
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stock — goods
  9. deal — to handle
  10. net — in sport
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stock — shares
  13. net — after costs
  14. staff — a stick
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. staff — employees
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. net — for catching
  21. cold — not warm
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. deal — a big deal

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