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 120 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: craft · stock · cabinet · wave · field · stem · rest · arm

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. craft — a skill
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stock — goods
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. field — farmland
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. craft — boats
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stock — shares
  21. field — for sport
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. field — a subject
  24. cabinet — ministers

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