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: face · stock · stand · press · content · hand · bark · racket

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bark — to shout
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. hand — in cards
  6. face — to point toward
  7. hand — help
  8. stock — goods
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. face — to confront
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. face — part of the head
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. content — happy
  23. stock — shares
  24. press — to push

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