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 116 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: pop · tube · press · bear · stock · staff · cabinet · pitcher

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. pop — soda
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. staff — a stick
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. press — newspapers
  10. tube — the underground
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stock — shares
  15. staff — employees
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pop — music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. press — to push
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stock — goods
  24. staff — employees

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