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: stock · field · wave · tube · foot · prune · current · craft

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. prune — to trim
  7. current — electric
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. craft — boats
  11. stock — shares
  12. field — a subject
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stock — goods
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — of water
  18. field — farmland
  19. tube — a container
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. field — for sport
  24. craft — a skill

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