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 120 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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — goods
  3. band — a ring
  4. spell — letters
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a music group
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pass — a permit
  10. chip — for betting
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. spell — magic
  14. wax — to grow
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pass — to spend time

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