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: jam · stand · stick · can · content · current · present · stem

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. current — of water
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. present — the time now
  7. can — a tin
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. present — a gift
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. content — the amount
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. current — electric
  22. current — happening now
  23. present — there
  24. content — videos and posts

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