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: stand · stock · bark · bound · dip · drill · squash · fall

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fall — the season
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. stand — to bear
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stock — shares
  12. bound — tied together
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. drill — the tool
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. drill — army training
  19. stock — goods
  20. bound — certain
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bark — to shout

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