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 · rock · jam · foot · straw · plane · race · stock

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stock — shares
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stock — goods
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rock — music
  14. cue — for pool
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. race — a contest
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. foot — a measure
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — humankind
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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