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 116 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stock — goods
  4. degree — an amount
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. season — in sport
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. chip — for betting
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. degree — from a university
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. chip — to eat
  19. degree — temperature
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. stock — shares
  24. bound — tied together

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