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: bark · stick · stock · lash · straw · court · deal · last

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. last — finally
  4. court — of law
  5. court — for sport
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. last — final
  10. stock — goods
  11. court — of a king
  12. last — to go on
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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