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 · hand · net · pass · season · wax · stick · staff

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. hand — in cards
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. stock — goods
  5. wax — to grow
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — shares
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. hand — help
  14. season — of the year
  15. net — after costs
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. net — for catching
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. net — in sport
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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