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: tear · rock · trunk · stock · key · leaves · content · present

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. present — a gift
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. key — for a lock
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. present — there
  8. stock — goods
  9. key — the most important part
  10. tear — to rip
  11. tear — from crying
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rock — music
  15. content — happy
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. content — the amount
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. present — the time now
  21. key — in music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. tear — from crying
  24. trunk — of a car

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