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 116 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: board · snap · lash · stock · stem · squash · pop · nail

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. board — to get on
  4. stock — shares
  5. snap — to click
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pop — to visit
  9. squash — the sport
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. squash — to crush
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. pop — soda
  19. stock — goods
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. board — a committee
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. nail — for a hammer

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