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: bark · rock · current · patient · file · dip · stock · bass

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stock — goods
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bass — low music
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rock — a stone
  10. file — a tool
  11. current — of water
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. current — happening now
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bass — the fish
  17. file — a document
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rock — music
  20. current — electric
  21. file — a line of people
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. stock — shares
  24. dip — to sink

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