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 124 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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. stand — to bear
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stock — goods
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. hand — in cards
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. saw — the tool
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pound — a weight

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