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: stem · stock · scale · pitcher · jam · bear · cap · perch

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bear — the animal
  5. scale — size or range
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bear — the animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. scale — in music
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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