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: stick · patient · wave · press · stock · pass

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. press — to push
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. press — a publisher
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. press — newspapers

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