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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. fine — all right
  3. track — a song
  4. stock — goods
  5. bound — certain
  6. rock — music
  7. bound — obliged
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. drill — the tool
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. drill — army training
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. fine — high quality
  15. hand — in cards
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bound — tied together
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. drill — a practice
  21. track — a path
  22. hand — help
  23. stock — shares
  24. rock — to move gently

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