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: bat · squash · net · stock · ruler · pass · bank · mate

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. stock — goods
  3. bank — for money
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. mate — to breed
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. squash — the sport
  11. mate — a partner
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. net — in sport
  14. bat — the animal
  15. net — after costs
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bank — for money
  24. ruler — a monarch

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