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: wave · lash · press · stem · bank · craft · pitch · stock

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pitch — completely
  5. stock — goods
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. press — to push
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. craft — boats
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stem — to come from
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bank — for money
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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