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: mouse · foot · bark · bound · stock · arm · wake · coach

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. stock — shares
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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