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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bass — the fish
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. current — happening now
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. stock — goods
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. swing — in golf
  12. current — electric
  13. net — after costs
  14. swing — music
  15. current — of water
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. swing — to play on
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bass — low music
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. lash — to lash out

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