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: face · nail · press · stock · rush · branch · cue · wind

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wind — moving air
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. press — newspapers
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. press — a publisher
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. cue — a signal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. face — to confront
  17. press — to push
  18. wind — moving air
  19. rush — hurry
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. face — to point toward
  24. cue — a hint

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