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: bay · swing · ball · squash · dip · stock · ground · pass

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pass — a permit
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stock — shares
  7. swing — to play on
  8. squash — the sport
  9. ball — a great time
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. stock — goods
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ground — a position
  17. squash — to crush
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. ground — crushed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. ground — the earth
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pass — to succeed

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