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 120 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: bear · ball · craft · pit · trunk · rule · stock · chair

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pit — in a race
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. craft — boats
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. stock — shares
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pit — a hole
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. rule — government
  18. stock — goods
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bear — the animal
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. craft — a skill
  24. ball — a great time

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