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: wind · stand · stick · band · stock · deal

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. band — a ring
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stock — goods
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. band — a music group
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stock — shares
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — to turn a key

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