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 · craft · wake · object · dip · swing · mate · march

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. object — to protest
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. swing — to play on
  5. march — the month
  6. stock — shares
  7. dip — to sink
  8. march — music
  9. mate — to breed
  10. object — a thing
  11. march — the month
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. mate — a friend
  17. craft — boats
  18. swing — in golf
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. craft — a skill
  23. swing — music
  24. object — an aim

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