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: board · cue · stock · suit · march · cabinet · present · straw

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. present — the time now
  7. stock — shares
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. present — a gift
  11. cue — a hint
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. suit — to fit
  15. cue — a signal
  16. march — music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. suit — clothes
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. present — there
  21. march — the month
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stock — goods

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