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 · staff · stand · court · club · fine · hide · wax

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. club — for golf
  3. wax — to grow
  4. staff — employees
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stock — goods
  10. fine — all right
  11. court — of a king
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stock — shares
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. staff — a stick
  16. court — of law
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stand — to bear
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. staff — employees
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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