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: dip · mug · bowl · cue · wave · wound · tear · stock

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. stock — goods
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. tear — from crying
  9. cue — a hint
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mug — a face
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. stock — shares
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. cue — for pool
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — to rip
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bowl — to roll

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