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 116 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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. staff — a stick
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rest — what's left
  6. staff — employees
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. rest — a break
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. row — a line
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stock — shares
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fork — in a road
  22. row — to paddle
  23. staff — employees
  24. patient — a sick person

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