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: jam · stock · bear · toast · saw · mark · prune · degree

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bear — the animal
  4. degree — an amount
  5. bear — the animal
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stock — shares
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. prune — to trim
  13. toast — bread
  14. stock — goods
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. degree — temperature
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. saw — the tool
  20. degree — from a university
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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