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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · ground · dip · stock · bank · tear

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stock — shares
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — a position
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stock — goods
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. tear — to rip
  13. rule — a law
  14. tear — from crying
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bank — for money
  17. rule — government
  18. tear — from crying

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