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: staff · file · branch · stock · pop · jam · foot · fall

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. file — a document
  3. stock — goods
  4. staff — employees
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. pop — soda
  7. fall — the season
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. branch — a division
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. foot — a measure
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stock — shares
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pop — music
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. foot — part of the body

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