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: bound · suit · wind · scale · swing · stock · field · rock

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rock — music
  7. wind — moving air
  8. field — farmland
  9. bound — obliged
  10. field — a subject
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. swing — to play on
  14. stock — goods
  15. swing — in golf
  16. rock — a stone
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bound — certain
  19. field — for sport
  20. scale — in music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wind — moving air
  23. swing — music
  24. stock — shares

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