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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. pop — to visit
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. root — the cause
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stock — goods
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. root — of a plant
  13. degree — temperature
  14. craft — a skill
  15. degree — an amount
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pop — music
  19. root — of a word
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pop — soda
  22. degree — from a university
  23. fork — in a road
  24. craft — boats

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