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: foot · bear · scale · roll · land · stock · racket · rush

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. roll — a list
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stock — shares
  6. land — ground
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rush — hurry
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. stock — goods
  14. scale — in music
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. land — a country
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. scale — size or range
  24. land — to come down

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