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

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mine — for digging
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spring — a coil
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fall — the season
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. spring — of water
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. spring — the season

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