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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. staff — employees
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — goods
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. drill — the tool
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. root — the cause
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. staff — a stick
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — of a word
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. drill — army training
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cold — not warm
  19. drill — a practice
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. charge — a price
  22. cold — an illness
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. staff — employees

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