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: leaves · march · current · object · stock · patient · coach · rush

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. object — a thing
  3. march — the month
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stock — goods
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — an aim
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. march — music
  14. stock — shares
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. object — to protest
  19. march — the month
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. current — electric
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. current — happening now

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