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 116 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 · chair · pass · rock · spring · stock · suit · row

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. spring — a coil
  3. suit — clothes
  4. chair — a leader
  5. rash — a series
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rock — music
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rash — hasty
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pass — a permit
  16. row — a line
  17. spring — of water
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. spring — the season

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