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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. march — music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. march — the month
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bulb — for light
  13. march — the month
  14. net — for catching
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. net — in sport
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. stock — goods
  24. net — after costs

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