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 120 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: stock · charge · net · temple · spell · wound · chair · suit

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. net — in sport
  7. suit — to fit
  8. charge — electricity
  9. suit — clothes
  10. spell — letters
  11. stock — shares
  12. wound — an injury
  13. spell — a short time
  14. charge — a price
  15. chair — a leader
  16. spell — magic
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. net — after costs
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. charge — in control
  22. stock — goods
  23. net — for catching
  24. temple — a place of worship

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