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: race · file · can · foot · pop · straw · stock · ball

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. can — to be able to
  3. race — the arms race
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pop — music
  6. can — a tin
  7. file — a tool
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. race — a contest
  10. stock — shares
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. can — a tin
  13. ball — a dance
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. file — a document
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. ball — a great time
  19. race — humankind
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — to visit
  24. foot — a measure

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