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 · swing · coach · stock · cell · deal · stem · toast

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. swing — in golf
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. swing — to play on
  11. stock — goods
  12. swing — music
  13. stem — to come from
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. row — a line
  16. cell — a phone
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cell — in biology
  22. toast — bread
  23. stock — shares
  24. stem — of a plant

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