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: ball · stock · season · stand · fork · band · stick · lie

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. ball — a great time
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. ball — a dance
  9. stock — goods
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. season — of the year
  12. band — a ring
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stock — shares
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fork — in a road

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