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: staff · content · stock · row · rest · bark · saw · bound

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bound — tied together
  4. staff — employees
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. content — the amount
  8. stock — shares
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. content — happy
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bound — obliged
  16. rest — a break
  17. stock — goods
  18. staff — a stick
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. staff — employees
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bound — certain
  23. bark — to shout
  24. rest — what's left

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