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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. game — a match
  4. stock — goods
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — the animal
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stock — shares
  13. cap — a lid
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rock — music
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cap — a hat
  24. squash — the sport

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