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 120 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: tube · ruler · mark · ball · squash · stock · chair · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. stock — goods
  3. squash — to crush
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. tube — the underground
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. chair — a leader
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. tube — a container
  22. kick — in football
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stock — shares

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