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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stem — to come from
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stock — goods
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. mark — a grade
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. chair — a leader
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. pop — to visit
  12. stock — shares
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pop — soda
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mark — to pay attention

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