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: firm · rush · land · toast · can · bat · bear · stock

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. can — a tin
  3. stock — shares
  4. land — to come down
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. land — ground
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bear — the animal
  9. can — a tin
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. toast — bread
  13. land — a country
  14. bat — the animal
  15. stock — goods
  16. firm — decided
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. firm — a company
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bear — the animal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. firm — steady

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