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: staff · scale · band · rock · toast · season · stock · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. stock — goods
  4. band — a music group
  5. rock — music
  6. season — of the year
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. toast — bread
  11. scale — size or range
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. stock — shares
  15. staff — employees
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. scale — in music
  18. current — of water
  19. staff — a stick
  20. season — in sport
  21. band — a ring
  22. rock — a stone
  23. staff — employees
  24. season — to add flavour

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