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 116 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: ball · lean · stock · content · firm · key · stem · club

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. key — for a lock
  3. firm — steady
  4. key — in music
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. content — the amount
  8. lean — to bend
  9. club — for dancing
  10. stock — shares
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stock — goods
  13. firm — a company
  14. lean — thin
  15. club — a group
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. key — the most important part
  19. firm — decided
  20. stem — to come from
  21. club — for golf
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. ball — a dance
  24. content — happy

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