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: object · coach · date · face · season · stand · rush · stock

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. face — part of the head
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. object — an aim
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. season — of the year
  9. face — to point toward
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. object — to protest
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. stock — shares
  18. rush — hurry
  19. face — to confront
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. stock — goods
  22. season — in sport
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stand — on your feet

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