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: perch · stock · lean · safe · rash · stand · bowl · stem

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. stock — goods
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stand — to bear
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stock — shares
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rash — hasty
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. lean — thin
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. rash — a series

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