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: content · stock · scale · bay · stem · can · plane · straw

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. content — happy
  4. can — a tin
  5. stock — shares
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stock — goods
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. content — the amount
  20. scale — in music
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. scale — size or range

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