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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bound — certain
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. stock — goods
  7. bound — obliged
  8. current — of water
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — to push
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. current — electric
  13. content — the amount
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. content — happy
  17. pitch — completely
  18. current — happening now
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bear — the animal
  22. press — newspapers
  23. stock — shares
  24. plane — a tool

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