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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. cue — a signal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. branch — a division
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bore — to tire
  10. row — to paddle
  11. scale — in music
  12. cue — for pool
  13. firm — decided
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. row — a line
  16. stock — goods
  17. cue — a hint
  18. stock — shares
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. firm — a company
  21. bore — to drill
  22. press — to push
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. press — a publisher

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