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 · press · foot · suit · leaves · hand · toast · racket

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — in cards
  4. press — a publisher
  5. stock — shares
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. stock — goods
  12. press — to push
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. hand — help
  15. toast — bread
  16. suit — clothes
  17. hand — in cards
  18. press — newspapers
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. foot — a measure
  24. hand — part of the body

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