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: present · track · stock · plane · wind · game · toast · current

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. game — a match
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stock — shares
  5. present — the time now
  6. current — happening now
  7. game — wild animals
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. present — there
  12. track — a path
  13. current — electric
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. wind — moving air
  16. current — of water
  17. wind — moving air
  18. track — to keep track
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. track — a song
  21. present — a gift
  22. stock — goods
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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