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: branch · mine · stand · staff · stock · kick · court · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stock — goods
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. court — of a king
  5. branch — a division
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mine — for digging
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. kick — in football
  11. stock — shares
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. staff — employees
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. staff — a stick
  16. court — of law
  17. stand — to bear
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. staff — employees
  22. court — for sport
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mine — an explosive

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