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: squash · pit · staff · wound · stand · mouse · stock · wake

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. squash — to crush
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wake — a trail
  7. squash — the sport
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wound — an injury
  10. staff — employees
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. staff — a stick
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wound — an injury
  15. staff — employees
  16. stock — goods
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stock — shares

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