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: face · cabinet · can · pass · club · stock · row · date

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stock — shares
  4. can — a tin
  5. row — to paddle
  6. club — for golf
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. club — for dancing
  10. face — to confront
  11. can — to be able to
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. row — a line
  16. can — a tin
  17. pass — a permit
  18. club — a group
  19. face — part of the head
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. stock — goods
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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