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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. pop — soda
  4. rock — music
  5. stock — goods
  6. rock — a stone
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. craft — boats
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pop — to visit
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wax — to grow
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bank — for money
  18. stock — shares
  19. bank — for money
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wax — for sculpting

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