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: mouse · stand · stock · pit · track · coach · hand · content

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. stand — to bear
  4. content — happy
  5. content — the amount
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. track — a path
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stock — shares
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pit — in a race
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a song
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stock — goods

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