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: suit · coach · sharp · stock · cap · spell · foot · wax

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cap — a lid
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. stock — shares
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cap — of ice
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. spell — magic
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wax — to grow
  18. cap — a hat
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. spell — letters
  22. sharp — clever
  23. stock — goods
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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