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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bulb — for light
  3. net — after costs
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — a law
  7. bass — the fish
  8. swing — music
  9. rule — government
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bass — low music
  12. stock — shares
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stock — goods
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. net — in sport
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mouse — for a computer

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