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: stock · file · season · rock · stick · straw · court · snap

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. court — for sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — of law
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. file — a document
  13. snap — to click
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. stock — goods
  19. season — of the year
  20. file — a line of people
  21. rock — music
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rock — a stone
  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