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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. charge — in control
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wind — moving air
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stock — shares
  8. season — in sport
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — to rob
  14. season — of the year
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mug — a face
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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