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 120 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. root — of a word
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. race — humankind
  6. root — of a plant
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. file — a document
  10. shower — to wash
  11. stock — shares
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. shower — rain
  14. lean — thin
  15. file — a tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. race — the arms race
  18. lean — to bend
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rush — hurry
  21. root — the cause
  22. race — a contest
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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