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: track · stock · cold · rule · fine · cue · row · current

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. current — electric
  4. cold — not warm
  5. row — to paddle
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rule — a law
  8. fine — high quality
  9. track — a path
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. current — of water
  13. cue — for pool
  14. row — a line
  15. track — a song
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. stock — goods
  18. current — happening now
  19. fine — all right
  20. stock — shares
  21. rule — government
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rule — to rule out

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