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: mine · fine · cue · field · stock · row · ruler · sharp

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. field — farmland
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mine — for digging
  9. row — to paddle
  10. field — for sport
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. stock — shares
  16. sharp — clever
  17. cue — a hint
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stock — goods
  23. field — a subject
  24. sharp — with an edge

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