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 116 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: squash · stock · fan · mark · staff · dip · coach · content

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mark — a grade
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. stock — goods
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mark — a trace
  8. content — happy
  9. dip — to sink
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. content — the amount
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stock — shares
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. staff — employees
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. squash — to crush
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. squash — the vegetable

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