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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wound — an injury
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. season — in sport
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. season — of the year
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. game — wild animals
  15. stem — to come from
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. stock — shares
  18. game — a match
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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