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: nail · season · bass · mark · net · suit · cue · stock

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bass — low music
  3. season — in sport
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. stock — goods
  6. suit — to fit
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. suit — clothes
  9. net — after costs
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. net — for catching
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. net — in sport
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. season — of the year
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — in cards
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stock — shares
  24. cue — a hint

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