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: deal · coach · stick · lean · stock · stand · key · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. lean — thin
  3. key — the most important part
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. lean — to bend
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. shower — to wash
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stock — shares
  24. shower — rain

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