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 120 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. tube — a container
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mark — a trace
  17. season — of the year
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stock — shares
  20. tube — the underground
  21. season — in sport
  22. stand — to bear
  23. deal — to handle
  24. mark — a grade

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