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: stock · row · board · track · jam · scale · current · swing

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. board — a committee
  3. current — electric
  4. row — a line
  5. board — to get on
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. scale — in music
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. swing — to play on
  12. row — to paddle
  13. stock — shares
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. swing — music
  16. current — of water
  17. track — to keep track
  18. swing — in golf
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. current — happening now
  24. scale — size or range

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