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: charge · stock · cabinet · spring · key · calf · rock · tube

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. charge — in control
  4. spring — a coil
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. spring — of water
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. stock — goods
  9. tube — a container
  10. charge — a price
  11. stock — shares
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. key — in music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. charge — electricity
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rock — music
  21. tube — the underground
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. spring — the season

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