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: snap · mouse · current · chair · stock · pound · roll · rock

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pound — a weight
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. rock — a stone
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. roll — a list
  12. stock — shares
  13. chair — a leader
  14. snap — to click
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. current — of water
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. current — electric
  21. current — happening now
  22. stock — goods
  23. rock — music
  24. mouse — for a computer

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