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: stem · suit · cold · pass · kid · root · stock · lean

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. lean — thin
  3. suit — clothes
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. suit — to fit
  6. root — the cause
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. root — of a word
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. kid — to tease
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stock — goods
  15. pass — a permit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stem — to come from
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lean — to bend
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cold — not warm
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. kid — child
  24. stock — shares

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