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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. foot — a measure
  3. fall — the season
  4. spring — a coil
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bulb — for light
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. can — to be able to
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fall — to drop
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. can — a tin
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. stock — goods
  16. spring — of water
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. can — a tin
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — shares
  23. spring — the season
  24. foot — part of the body

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