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: stock · ruler · pass · bark · mate · kid

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — to tease
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. stock — shares
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bark — to shout
  9. stock — goods
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. kid — child
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit

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