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: straw · fine · stock · pitcher · can · board · rule · bowl

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. board — a committee
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. can — a tin
  10. fine — all right
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stock — shares
  16. rule — government
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. board — to get on

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