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: root · track · bear · stand · trunk · pitcher · stock · board

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stock — goods
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stock — shares
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. root — the cause
  11. track — a path
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. root — of a word
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. track — a song

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