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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — rain
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. kid — child
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. pass — a permit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. kid — to tease
  18. stock — shares
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bulb — for light

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