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 120 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: track · stick · content · swing · cabinet · branch · cue · stock

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. track — to keep track
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. swing — to play on
  7. track — a song
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stock — goods
  10. swing — in golf
  11. content — the amount
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. swing — music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. branch — a division
  18. track — a path
  19. content — happy
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stock — shares
  23. cue — for pool
  24. branch — of a tree

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