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 · ball · spell · rush · can · mate · hand · board

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. stock — goods
  3. spell — a short time
  4. hand — in cards
  5. board — a committee
  6. can — a tin
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. ball — a dance
  10. hand — help
  11. mate — to breed
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stock — shares
  15. can — a tin
  16. mate — a partner
  17. spell — letters
  18. ball — a great time
  19. board — to get on
  20. spell — magic
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rush — hurry

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