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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. suit — to fit
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. stock — shares
  6. suit — in cards
  7. roll — a list
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stock — goods
  10. tube — a container
  11. scale — size or range
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. tube — the underground
  17. deal — to handle
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. roll — a cake
  24. deal — a big deal

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