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: stand · squash · kick · stock · cabinet · cap · bay · bound

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bound — obliged
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bound — tied together
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. stock — goods
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. kick — in football
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bound — certain
  24. stand — on your feet

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