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 116 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: board · trunk · band · stock · tear · key

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. key — for a lock
  4. tear — from crying
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. key — the most important part
  7. tear — from crying
  8. key — in music
  9. stock — shares
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. board — to get on
  13. band — a ring
  14. tear — to rip
  15. board — a committee
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. band — a music group
  18. trunk — of a car

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