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: staff · fan · mate · root · stock · bat · calf · cabinet

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. root — the cause
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mate — a partner
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stock — shares
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mate — a friend
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bat — the animal
  17. staff — employees
  18. root — of a word
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stock — goods
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. mate — to breed
  23. staff — employees
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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