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: court · roll · stock · wave · swing · wind · jam · charge

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stock — goods
  3. roll — a cake
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wind — moving air
  6. court — of law
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. charge — a price
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. charge — in control
  13. court — for sport
  14. roll — a list
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wind — moving air
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. court — of a king
  24. charge — electricity

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