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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. root — of a word
  5. land — to come down
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. can — to be able to
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stock — goods
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. land — a country
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. root — the cause
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. foot — a measure
  17. root — of a plant
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. can — a tin
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. can — a tin
  24. land — ground

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