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: firm · track · stock · cue · club · band · pitcher · current

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. band — a ring
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — for golf
  8. cue — a signal
  9. firm — steady
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. club — a group
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. firm — decided
  14. cue — for pool
  15. band — a music group
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. track — to keep track
  20. firm — a company
  21. cue — a hint
  22. current — happening now
  23. track — a song
  24. track — a path

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