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: wake · date · rock · mine · press · mark · stock · kick

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. press — a publisher
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. wake — a trail
  6. mine — for digging
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. press — newspapers
  9. mark — a trace
  10. date — the fruit
  11. press — to push
  12. rock — music
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. stock — goods
  15. mark — a grade
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. kick — in football
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. date — on the calendar

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