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: cabinet · vault · mark · rush · season · track · straw · stock

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stock — shares
  5. mark — a trace
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. track — a path
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. season — of the year
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. season — in sport
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mark — a grade
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stock — goods
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. rush — hurry

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