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: mug · rush · pitcher · face · stock · court · cue · stand

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. face — part of the head
  3. court — of law
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mug — a cup
  14. face — to confront
  15. court — of a king
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stock — goods
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mug — a face
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. court — for sport

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