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: deal · stock · board · track · cue · stand · court · degree

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. court — of a king
  3. track — a song
  4. board — to get on
  5. stand — to bear
  6. degree — from a university
  7. stock — goods
  8. degree — an amount
  9. deal — to handle
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. court — for sport
  13. cue — a hint
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. track — to keep track
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. cue — a signal
  20. court — of law
  21. stock — shares
  22. cue — for pool
  23. track — a path
  24. degree — temperature

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