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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. date — the fruit
  3. stock — goods
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bank — for money
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bank — of a river
  12. toast — bread
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bank — for money
  15. mate — to breed
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — a friend
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. stem — a stem cell

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