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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. stock — shares
  8. stem — to come from
  9. wake — a trail
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wave — with your hand

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