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: sharp · file · spring · swing · rock · stock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. stock — goods
  3. spring — of water
  4. swing — music
  5. rock — music
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. spring — a coil
  8. stock — shares
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — clever
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. swing — in golf
  15. spring — the season
  16. file — a line of people
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. swing — to play on

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