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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rash — a series
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rash — hasty
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. can — to be able to
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. can — a tin
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. deal — to handle
  24. fan — a supporter

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