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: pass · lean · track · current · rest · capital · stock · bass

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pass — a permit
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stock — shares
  10. bass — low music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lean — thin
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. capital — a city
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. capital — money
  21. lean — to bend
  22. current — happening now
  23. rest — a break
  24. bass — the fish

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