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: stock · current · stick · fork · mouse · cue · ground · sharp

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. current — of water
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stock — goods
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stock — shares
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ground — crushed
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. current — happening now
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fork — in a road
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — for pool
  24. current — electric

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