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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. stock — goods
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. club — a group
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bass — the fish
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bass — low music
  15. present — the time now
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bulb — for light
  19. present — there
  20. stock — shares
  21. club — for dancing
  22. present — a gift
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lie — an untruth

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