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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. wound — an injury
  3. press — to push
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. mug — a face
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — music
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stock — shares
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stem — to come from
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. mug — to rob

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