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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fine — high quality
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. object — a thing
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. drill — a practice
  10. object — an aim
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. drill — the tool
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stock — shares
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. object — to protest
  24. drill — army training

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