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 120 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. spell — letters
  3. rock — music
  4. spell — a short time
  5. staff — employees
  6. stock — shares
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. spell — magic
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. staff — employees
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tube — the underground
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. tube — a container
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. key — in music
  24. tube — in a tire

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