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: press · rest · bark · wake · stock · staff · rash · pound

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. rest — a break
  3. staff — employees
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stock — shares
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wake — a trail
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rash — a series
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. press — to push
  15. staff — employees
  16. stock — goods
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rash — hasty
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wake — before a funeral

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