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 116 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. club — a group
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. staff — employees
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. staff — employees
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. net — in sport
  12. lean — thin
  13. net — for catching
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. net — after costs
  16. club — for golf
  17. swing — in golf
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lean — to bend
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bear — the animal
  24. staff — a stick

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