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 116 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 · wake · wind · mine · charge · stand · last · current

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. last — finally
  3. stock — goods
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. current — electric
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. last — to go on
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. wind — moving air
  13. charge — a price
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. current — happening now
  16. stand — to bear
  17. last — final
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. current — of water
  20. stock — shares
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. mine — for digging
  24. charge — in control

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