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: bank · fine · pitcher · content · staff · fork · stock · wound

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. wound — an injury
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. staff — a stick
  5. content — the amount
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bank — for money
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bank — for money
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. staff — employees
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. fine — all right
  21. content — happy
  22. staff — employees
  23. stock — goods
  24. fork — in a road

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