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: stock · bear · perch · squash · firm · tear · bank · lean

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bank — for money
  3. tear — to rip
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bear — the animal
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. stock — shares
  9. bank — for money
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. firm — steady
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tear — from crying
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. squash — to crush
  17. tear — from crying
  18. lean — thin
  19. firm — decided
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bank — of a river
  22. perch — the fish
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stock — goods

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