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: tube · track · board · current · spring · bear · lash · stock

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. track — a path
  3. track — to keep track
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. track — a song
  9. stock — goods
  10. tube — the underground
  11. board — a committee
  12. spring — a coil
  13. board — to get on
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. current — of water
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bear — the animal
  18. spring — the season
  19. tube — a container
  20. current — happening now
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. current — electric

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