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: fine · straw · stock · suit · pitcher · drill · prune · roll

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. fine — high quality
  3. suit — clothes
  4. prune — to trim
  5. roll — a list
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fine — all right
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. roll — a cake
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. drill — a practice
  15. stock — goods
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stock — shares
  20. drill — the tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. drill — army training
  24. stock — a soup base

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