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: staff · wave · tube · rock · stock · board · season · bark

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stock — shares
  6. board — to get on
  7. stock — goods
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. season — of the year
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. staff — a stick
  13. tube — a container
  14. staff — employees
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bark — to shout
  18. board — a committee
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rock — music
  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