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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. stock — goods
  5. chest — of your body
  6. stock — shares
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. chest — a box
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. current — electric
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. current — happening now
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. date — the fruit
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. chest — of your body

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