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: pit · stock · stem · ruler · roll · track · file · racket

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. file — a tool
  8. roll — a list
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pit — a hole
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. file — a line of people
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. file — a document
  18. track — a path
  19. stock — shares
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. roll — a cake
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stock — goods
  24. ruler — a monarch

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