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 120 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: firm · season · stem · fan · patient · ball · racket · stock

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. season — of the year
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stem — to come from
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. season — in sport
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. firm — decided
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. stock — goods
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ball — a dance
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stock — shares
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. firm — a company
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. firm — steady

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