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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. shower — rain
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. drill — a practice
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. branch — a division
  11. cap — a lid
  12. drill — the tool
  13. squash — to crush
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cue — a signal
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cue — a hint
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. stock — goods
  22. drill — army training
  23. shower — to wash
  24. squash — the sport

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