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: pop · chip · bore · stock · deal · bark · suit · bound

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. bore — to tire
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — certain
  16. chip — for betting
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bound — obliged
  22. pop — soda
  23. bark — to shout
  24. deal — to handle

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