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 120 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 · shower · prune · bowl · chair · mug · stock · cap

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. chair — a leader
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. cap — a hat
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mug — to rob
  9. shower — to wash
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stand — to bear
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. cap — of ice
  24. chair — a professorship

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