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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. court — of law
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. board — a committee
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. court — for sport
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. firm — a company
  14. court — of a king
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stock — shares
  17. firm — steady
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. board — to get on
  20. plane — a tool
  21. ball — a dance
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. tube — the underground
  24. firm — decided

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