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: mark · kid · ball · hand · stock · hide · object · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. object — a thing
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ball — a dance
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. kid — child
  7. object — an aim
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mark — a trace
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hand — help
  16. mark — a grade
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. hand — in cards
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. object — to protest
  24. kid — to tease

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