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 · deal · stock · degree · bear · cue · cabinet · band

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. firm — steady
  3. cue — for pool
  4. firm — decided
  5. stock — shares
  6. band — a ring
  7. degree — from a university
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. firm — a company
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. degree — temperature
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bear — the animal
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a music group
  19. cue — a signal
  20. stock — goods
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. degree — an amount

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