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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stock — shares
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. cue — a hint
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. stock — goods
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. rush — hurry
  15. cue — a signal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. chair — a leader
  18. swing — to play on
  19. band — a music group
  20. bulb — for light
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. swing — music
  24. band — a ring

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