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: mouse · sharp · stock · cabinet · rush · mark · ground · bark

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — shares
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bark — to shout
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — clever
  18. ground — a position
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mark — a grade
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ground — crushed
  24. sharp — with an edge

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