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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. band — a ring
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rash — a series
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. ball — a dance
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. ball — a great time
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. stock — shares

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