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: staff · bass · cap · deal · object · stock · mark · toast

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. toast — bread
  4. stock — shares
  5. staff — employees
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. cap — a hat
  8. mark — a grade
  9. staff — a stick
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. staff — employees
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. deal — to handle
  14. object — an aim
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bass — low music
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bass — the fish
  19. stock — goods
  20. object — to protest
  21. mark — a trace
  22. cap — a lid
  23. object — a thing
  24. toast — the most admired

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