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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stock — shares
  4. rule — a law
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. row — a line
  11. stock — goods
  12. object — a thing
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. rule — government
  16. bear — the animal
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — an aim
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. row — to paddle
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bear — the animal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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