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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. net — after costs
  3. cue — for pool
  4. hand — in cards
  5. rash — a series
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pass — a permit
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. net — for catching
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rash — hasty
  15. net — in sport
  16. hand — help
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cue — a hint

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