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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pop — music
  3. craft — a skill
  4. face — part of the head
  5. craft — boats
  6. stock — shares
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. root — of a word
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pop — soda
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stem — to come from
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. root — the cause
  23. stock — goods
  24. stem — of a plant

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