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: stock · pound · pass · bound · tube · ground · mouse · key

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. key — in music
  7. stock — goods
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. stock — shares
  10. bound — certain
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bound — tied together
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pound — a weight
  17. tube — a container
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bound — obliged
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. ground — a position

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