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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stock — goods
  7. staff — employees
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. staff — a stick
  17. rule — a law
  18. staff — employees
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. rule — government
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bore — gave birth

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