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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. object — to protest
  3. stock — shares
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rash — a series
  10. object — an aim
  11. kid — to tease
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stock — goods
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. object — a thing
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a ring
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. kid — child
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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