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: tear · spell · bass · mouse · branch · suit · cue · stock

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. stock — shares
  4. tear — from crying
  5. branch — a division
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. spell — magic
  8. cue — a hint
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bass — the fish
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. spell — letters
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. suit — clothes
  19. spell — a short time
  20. stock — goods
  21. bass — low music
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cue — for pool

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