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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. current — electric
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. current — happening now
  5. bear — the animal
  6. band — a music group
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. spring — the season
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. band — a ring
  12. shower — rain
  13. bear — the animal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spring — of water
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. shower — to wash
  23. stock — shares
  24. current — of water

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