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: row · rush · root · date · stock · bowl · field · stand

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. row — to paddle
  6. root — the cause
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stock — goods
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — farmland
  11. root — of a word
  12. stand — to bear
  13. field — for sport
  14. stock — shares
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rush — to hurry

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