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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rest — what's left
  3. firm — a company
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. prune — to trim
  6. press — to push
  7. sharp — clever
  8. stock — shares
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. mark — a grade
  11. firm — steady
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stock — goods
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stem — to come from
  20. rest — a break
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. firm — decided
  24. sharp — with an edge

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