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: cap · stick · bound · pass · cue · lie · stock · root

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — a signal
  3. root — the cause
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cue — for pool
  8. root — of a word
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. root — of a plant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stock — shares
  20. bound — tied together
  21. stock — goods
  22. pass — a permit
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. lie — to recline

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