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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. swing — music
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. stock — shares
  5. tube — a container
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — a committee
  9. tube — the underground
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stock — goods
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bound — certain
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bound — tied together
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bound — obliged
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bank — for money
  20. rash — a series
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. board — to get on
  24. stock — a soup base

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