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: court · mark · wave · stock · arm · wake · bank · mouse

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bank — for money
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bank — for money
  8. court — of a king
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. stock — shares
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stock — goods
  16. mark — a trace
  17. court — of law
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wake — a trail
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. arm — a part of something

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