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: stand · content · date · squash · stock · leaves · rash · branch

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — happy
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. branch — a division
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rash — a series
  21. stock — shares
  22. rash — hasty
  23. date — the fruit
  24. squash — the sport

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