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: fan · rock · coach · press · mouse · firm · stock · fork

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fork — in a road
  3. firm — steady
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stock — shares
  6. press — a publisher
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stock — goods
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. press — to push
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rock — music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. firm — a company
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. firm — decided

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