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: cue · wind · pop · bay · drill · charge · stock · rash

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rash — hasty
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. drill — army training
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pop — to visit
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stock — goods
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. drill — the tool
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pop — soda
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pop — music
  20. cue — a signal
  21. stock — shares
  22. rash — a series
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. stock — a soup base

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