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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. degree — from a university
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. cue — a signal
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. lean — thin
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. board — a committee
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. scale — size or range
  16. stock — shares
  17. degree — temperature
  18. degree — an amount
  19. board — to get on
  20. cue — a hint
  21. scale — in music
  22. cue — for pool
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bass — low music

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