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: current · kick · stock · key · mark · scale · last · dip

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. current — happening now
  3. stock — shares
  4. current — electric
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. dip — to sink
  7. last — final
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. last — finally
  11. mark — a trace
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. last — to go on
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stock — goods
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. scale — in music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. current — of water
  22. key — for a lock
  23. kick — in football
  24. dip — a sauce

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