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: mark · sharp · safe · rest · stock · perch · band · spell

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. stock — goods
  4. sharp — clever
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. mark — a grade
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rest — what's left
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. spell — letters
  16. stock — shares
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. spell — magic
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stock — a soup base

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