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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — ground
  4. land — a country
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. stock — goods
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. row — to paddle
  13. chair — a leader
  14. season — of the year
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. stand — to bear
  17. row — a line
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stock — shares

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