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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stock — goods
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. swing — music
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. squash — the sport
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stock — shares
  16. swing — in golf
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pass — a permit
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. swing — to play on

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