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 120 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: coach · stock · mouse · staff · court · nail · plane · cabinet

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stock — goods
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. staff — employees
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. court — for sport
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. court — of a king
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stock — shares
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. staff — a stick
  20. court — of law
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. staff — employees

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