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: pound · pit · bay · cabinet · last · stock · kick · saw

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. last — finally
  3. kick — in football
  4. last — to go on
  5. stock — goods
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. last — final
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pound — a weight
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pit — a hole

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