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 · trunk · straw · club · chip · stock · cue · snap

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stock — goods
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — for dancing
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. cue — a hint
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. chip — for betting
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. snap — to click
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stock — shares
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. stand — to bear
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. chip — to eat
  23. club — a group
  24. cue — a signal

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