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 116 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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. prune — to trim
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — in music
  6. tube — a container
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. drill — the tool
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. charge — in control
  12. stock — shares
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. drill — a practice
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. prune — to trim
  20. charge — electricity
  21. drill — army training
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. deal — to handle
  24. charge — a price

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