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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fall — to drop
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. fall — to drop
  8. lean — thin
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mark — a grade
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fall — the season
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. mark — a trace
  22. season — in sport
  23. stock — shares
  24. stem — to come from

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