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: stand · net · date · root · current · firm · content · straw

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. current — electric
  3. root — the cause
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. net — after costs
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. net — for catching
  9. stand — to bear
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. content — happy
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. current — of water
  16. net — in sport
  17. firm — a company
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. firm — steady
  20. current — happening now
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. date — the fruit
  23. firm — decided
  24. content — the amount

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