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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — goods
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. field — a subject
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. field — for sport
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. field — farmland
  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