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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bound — certain
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stock — shares
  5. chest — a box
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. stock — goods
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bound — obliged
  18. chest — of your body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bound — tied together
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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