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: stock · charge · march · staff · toast · patient · pound · stick

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. march — the month
  4. stock — goods
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. staff — employees
  8. pound — a weight
  9. charge — a price
  10. march — the month
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. toast — bread
  16. march — music
  17. staff — a stick
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stock — shares
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. patient — a sick person

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