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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. firm — steady
  7. suit — clothes
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stock — shares
  10. firm — decided
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bear — the animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. firm — a company
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. land — ground
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. land — a country
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. suit — to fit
  22. land — to come down
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pound — for dogs

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