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 120 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: pound · arm · key · stock · nail · charge · court · stick

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. court — of law
  3. stock — shares
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. charge — in control
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stock — goods
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — for sport
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pound — a weight
  19. key — in music
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pound — for dogs

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