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: lash · row · stock · root · stand · rock · can · chest

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. root — of a word
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. chest — of your body
  8. can — to be able to
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. chest — a box
  11. rock — a stone
  12. can — a tin
  13. root — of a plant
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. can — a tin
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. root — the cause
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a line

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