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: rule · stock · patient · tube · bear · present · can · content

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. present — a gift
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. content — happy
  9. can — a tin
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stock — goods
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. present — the time now
  15. rule — a law
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. present — there
  18. can — a tin
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. tube — a container
  22. stock — shares
  23. content — the amount
  24. tube — the underground

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