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: squash · wind · bark · stock · pit · staff · mug · bank

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. stock — goods
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bank — for money
  12. stock — shares
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. mug — to rob
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pit — a hole
  20. mug — a face
  21. pit — in a race
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bank — for money

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