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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mug — a cup
  4. cap — a lid
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stock — shares
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. spring — of water
  10. bank — for money
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bank — of a river
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mug — a face
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. charge — electricity
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — the season
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. charge — in control
  23. bank — for money
  24. charge — a price

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