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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · wake · cabinet · ruler · stock · sharp

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. stock — goods
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stock — shares
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stem — of a plant

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