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: net · pop · rest · cue · fan · scale · stock · root

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. scale — size or range
  3. net — in sport
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. cue — a hint
  8. root — of a word
  9. pop — soda
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. scale — in music
  13. root — of a plant
  14. net — for catching
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. cue — a signal
  19. root — the cause
  20. cue — for pool
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rest — a break
  24. net — after costs

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