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: wake · hide · bound · track · jam · stand · stock · ball

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wake — a trail
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. track — a path
  15. bound — certain
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bound — obliged
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. track — a song
  22. stock — goods
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. ball — a dance

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