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 116 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: snap · stock · charge · ball · branch · ruler · clip · press

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — a price
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. charge — in control
  6. clip — a video
  7. stock — shares
  8. charge — electricity
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. clip — to cut
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. clip — for paper
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. press — newspapers
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. snap — to click
  22. branch — a division
  23. press — to push
  24. press — a publisher

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