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: rash · stick · bound · pass · root · stock · pop · net

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — music
  3. bound — certain
  4. pop — to visit
  5. net — after costs
  6. rash — a series
  7. root — of a word
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. root — the cause
  10. stock — goods
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bound — obliged
  13. net — for catching
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pass — a permit
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bound — tied together
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. root — of a plant
  20. net — in sport
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stock — shares
  24. pass — to spend time

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