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: stick · lash · hand · stock · game · branch · ruler · fine

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. hand — help
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. game — a match
  10. fine — all right
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. fine — high quality
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. game — wild animals
  20. hand — in cards
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. stock — shares
  23. branch — a division
  24. lash — an eyelash

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