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: trunk · wound · content · bay · stem · stock · current · plane

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stock — goods
  4. current — electric
  5. content — the amount
  6. stock — shares
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. plane — a tool
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. content — happy
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. current — happening now
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stem — to come from
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. trunk — of a car

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