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: game · rest · fan · prune · stock · mark · tube · coach

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. game — a match
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. tube — the underground
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mark — a grade
  23. tube — a container
  24. fan — a supporter

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