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: spell · track · game · net · toast · stock · bound · swing

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stock — goods
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bound — certain
  5. net — in sport
  6. game — a match
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. game — wild animals
  10. stock — shares
  11. spell — magic
  12. net — for catching
  13. toast — bread
  14. track — a path
  15. swing — in golf
  16. net — after costs
  17. bound — obliged
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bound — tied together
  20. swing — music
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. swing — to play on

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