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: mark · coach · squash · fine · cold · stock · stand · rush

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — to crush
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. squash — the sport
  7. stock — shares
  8. mark — a trace
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cold — an illness
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stock — goods
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cold — not warm
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fine — all right
  22. stand — to bear
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fine — high quality

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