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: arm · rash · tube · field · ball · nail · stock · lean

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — shares
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. field — farmland
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. tube — a container
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. field — for sport
  12. rash — hasty
  13. lean — thin
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. field — a subject
  18. ball — a great time
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rash — a series
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. ball — a dance

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