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 116 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 · spell · tear · mug · band · lean · firm · rock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mug — a face
  4. tear — to rip
  5. firm — steady
  6. stock — shares
  7. spell — magic
  8. rock — music
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. mug — a cup
  12. firm — a company
  13. spell — a short time
  14. mug — to rob
  15. spell — letters
  16. tear — from crying
  17. band — a ring
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. lean — thin
  21. tear — from crying
  22. lean — to bend
  23. band — a music group
  24. firm — decided

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