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

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pop — music
  4. band — a music group
  5. band — a ring
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pop — soda
  12. stock — shares
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stock — goods
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. stand — to bear
  18. band — a rubber band

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