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: stock · roll · kick · deal · object · mug · content · rush

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — happy
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. stock — goods
  10. object — to protest
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rush — hurry
  13. object — an aim
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. object — a thing
  16. roll — a cake
  17. deal — to handle
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mug — a cup
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mug — a face
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. kick — in football

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