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: game · net · ruler · stock · mug · firm · mine · bark

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. net — in sport
  6. stock — goods
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. net — after costs
  9. mug — a face
  10. firm — a company
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. firm — steady
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. mine — for digging
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mug — a cup
  19. game — a match
  20. stock — shares
  21. mug — to rob
  22. net — for catching
  23. bark — to shout
  24. game — a kind of play

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