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: rush · bound · craft · bank · pit · can · straw · stock

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bound — certain
  4. craft — boats
  5. can — a tin
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stock — shares
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. stock — goods
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bank — of a river
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bank — for money
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bound — tied together
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bank — for money
  23. can — a tin
  24. craft — a handicraft

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