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 · stock · net · wave · bound · last · trunk · band

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stock — goods
  3. bound — certain
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. net — for catching
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. last — finally
  9. last — to go on
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. band — a ring
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. band — a music group
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. last — final
  19. net — after costs
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bound — tied together
  23. net — in sport
  24. bound — obliged

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