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

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. can — a tin
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. plane — a tool
  7. charge — in control
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. can — a tin
  11. stem — to come from
  12. can — to be able to
  13. charge — electricity
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stock — shares
  16. cold — an illness
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stock — goods
  22. cold — not warm
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rest — what's left

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