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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. stock — goods
  5. fork — in a road
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. current — of water
  13. track — a song
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. current — happening now
  17. stem — to come from
  18. toast — bread
  19. track — a path
  20. rush — hurry
  21. current — electric
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. stock — shares

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