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: deal · stock · suit · jam · roll · mark · cap · present

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. deal — to handle
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. present — a gift
  7. suit — in cards
  8. roll — a list
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. suit — to fit
  11. roll — a cake
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. stock — shares
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — of ice
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. mark — a grade
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stock — goods

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