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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. band — a music group
  3. tube — a container
  4. staff — employees
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. track — a path
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. file — a tool
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. staff — a stick
  13. track — a song
  14. file — a line of people
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. band — a ring
  17. tube — the underground
  18. file — a document
  19. track — to keep track
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. staff — employees

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