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: capital · pound · racket · press · object · wake · stock · fan

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pound — a weight
  5. object — a thing
  6. stock — goods
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — to push
  9. object — an aim
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stock — shares
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. capital — a city
  22. press — a publisher
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. object — to protest

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