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: rock · cell · prune · mouse · bear · row · saw · stock

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. stock — shares
  3. bear — the animal
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rock — a stone
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — to paddle
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cell — in biology
  17. rock — music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stock — goods
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. cell — a phone
  23. rock — to move gently
  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