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: rush · season · plane · craft · wind · track · pop · stock

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pop — soda
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. season — in sport
  12. track — to keep track
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pop — to visit
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. pop — music
  18. wind — moving air
  19. plane — a tool
  20. season — of the year
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. track — a path

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