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 120 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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stock — shares
  4. chair — a leader
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. file — a document
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. file — a line of people
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stock — goods
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stem — to come from
  24. patient — a sick person

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