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

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rest — a break
  4. kid — to tease
  5. cue — a signal
  6. net — in sport
  7. rest — what's left
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. net — for catching
  10. cue — for pool
  11. tube — a container
  12. stock — shares
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. rest — what's left
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rock — a stone
  21. net — after costs
  22. kid — child
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rock — music

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