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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pass — a permit
  3. can — a tin
  4. cap — a hat
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. tube — a container
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. tear — from crying
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rash — hasty
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — shares
  20. tear — to rip
  21. cap — a lid
  22. rash — a series
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. can — to be able to

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